It’s Derby Day in the vivo Pro Kabaddi on Sunday.

The Tamil Thalaivas and Bengaluru Bulls will be in Southern Derby action in the second game, but first, Patna Pirates will take on the Jaipur Pink Panthers. 

Check out our preview for both games.

Match 82: Patna Pirates vs Jaipur Pink Panthers 

The Patna Pirates returned to action after a 10-day hiatus on Friday and registered a massive 52-24 win over the Tamil Thalaivas. The Pirates’ raiding unit was at its efficient best, as Sachin, Monu Goyat, and skipper Prashanth Kumar Rai combined to score 21 raid points. But the defence had a historic night, as Mohammadreza Chiyaneh, Sunil and Neeraj Kumar racked up High 5s. The Pirates set a new franchise record with 21 tackle points against the Thalaivas. Patna is looking scary on offence and defence, and it’s going to take a Herculean effort to stop this all-conquering ship.

The Jaipur Pink Panthers are winless in their last four games and have slipped to ninth on the points table. Outside of Arjun Deshwal, no other Jaipur player has been consistent. The Pink Panthers defensive unit has been especially woeful and has managed only 11 tackle points in their team’s last five halves of kabaddi. With no support for Deshwal and offence and a struggling defence, things are looking bleak for Jaipur. But one win could turn the tide of their season, and coach Sanjeev Kumar Baliyan would be hoping his team can find some form and beat the Pirates.     

Patna Pirates vs Jaipur Pink Panthers head-to-head

The Pirates and Pink Panthers have met 15 times in vivo PKL. Patna has won nine matches, while Jaipur has registered six. The Pink Panthers beat the Pirates 38-28 earlier this season.

Match 83: Tamil Thalaivas vs Bengaluru Bulls

Since their impressive victory over the Haryana Steelers, the Tamil Thalaivas have gone five games without a win and have slipped to 10th on the points table. The defence, which had been their strength this season, has suddenly lost form and have averaged only 9.2 tackle points in the last five matches. Outside of Manjeet, no other raider has found much success either. The Thalaivas are in dire need of a victory to end their woeful form and keep their hopes of a playoff spot alive.

One win and four losses in their last five matches haven’t affected the Bengaluru Bulls’ league position. But with teams around them now playing their games in hand, the Bulls could slip fast on the points table. Bengaluru is scoring plenty of points but giving up a lot more. They have conceded a mammoth 38.2 points on average in their last five matches, an indictment of their recent struggles. The raiding unit outside Pawan Sehrawat has been woeful, with only Bharat finding minimal success. The defence, too, has been poor and has been guilty of too many advanced tackles. Coach Randhir Sehrawat will need his team to win as many games as possible to ensure they retain their spot in the top six. 

Tamil Thalaivas vs Bengaluru Bulls head-to-head

The Bengaluru Bulls hold an 8-1 lead in their head-to-head matches against the Tamil Thalaivas. Their meeting earlier this season finished in a 38-30 win for Bengaluru.

PKL Schedule for Sunday, January 30

Match 82: Patna Pirates vs Jaipur Pink Panthers, 7:30 PM IST

Match 83: Tamil Thalaivas vs Bengaluru Bulls, 8:30 PM IST

Where to watch vivo Pro Kabaddi live?

Catch all the LIVE action from vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 8 on the Star Sports Network and LIVE streaming on Disney+Hotstar.