Puneri Paltan aim for entry into top six, while Gujarat Giants and U.P. Yoddha look to inch higher

This Valentine’s Day, VIVO Pro Kabaddi will play the perfect companion with an engrossing triple header.

In the first game, Patna Pirates will battle Telugu Titans, and later, Dabang Delhi K.C. will take on U.P. Yoddha. In the main event Gujarat Giants will take on Puneri Paltan

Check out our preview for all three games:

Match 116: Patna Pirates vs Telugu Titans

Five consecutive wins have seen the Patna Pirates become the first team to qualify for the VIVO Pro Kabaddi League playoffs with four games to spare. Four of those five wins have been by nine points or more, showcasing the Pirates’ sheer dominance during this run. The defence, led by Mohammadreza Chiyaneh, is the best in the league, while their offence is averaging offering a respectable 20.33 points per game. The Pirates will not rest on their laurels and will want to secure their place in the top two, which they can with a win against the Telugu Titans.

Speaking of the Titans, they come into this game on the back of a 51-31 loss against the Puneri Paltan. Telugu registered their only victory of the season eight games ago and will undoubtedly be yearning to taste that winning feeling again. While on paper, their game on Monday is extremely lopsided, the Titans have the firepower to potentially cause an upset against a Pirates team that have one eye on the playoffs.

Patna Pirates vs Telugu Titans head-to-head

The Telugu Titans have won nine and lost eight of their 18 matches against the Patna Pirates. One game between the two sides has finished in a tie. The first meeting between the two sides finished in a narrow 31-30 win for Patna.

Match 117: Dabang Delhi vs U.P. Yoddha

Dabang Delhi snapped their three-game winless run with a narrow 32-31 win over the Tamil Thalaivas in their previous outing. Naveen Kumar starred yet again for Delhi, as he picked up 13 points to guide his side to a much-needed win. Delhi are second on the points table, but haven’t had a convincing performance in quiet some time. They have scored only 34 tackle points in their last four matches and have heavily relied on their offence to lead them to victories. With Haryana right on their heels on the points table, Delhi need to continue their winning ways to ensure they finish in the top two.

U.P. Yoddha suffered a disappointing 38-31 defeat against the Gujarat Giants last night. Pardeep Narwal’s sparkling form continued as the raider picked up 12 points, but he couldn’t prevent U.P. from losing. His team now face the risk of dropping out of the top six if the three teams below them win their games in hand. The game on Monday will be U.P.’s penultimate of the league stage. Defeat would likely end their hopes of making it to the playoffs, making this a must-win game for coach Jasveer Singh’s men.

Dabang Delhi vs U.P. Yoddha head-to-head

U.P. Yoddha hold a 4-2 lead in their head-to-head series against Dabang Delhi. Delhi beat U.P. 37-33 in their first meeting this season.

Match 118: Gujarat Giants vs Puneri Paltan

The Gujarat Giants climbed into the top six on the points table with their win over U.P. Yoddha last night. The Giants defence had a spectacular night, as the picked up 17 tackle points. Gujarat’s raiding unit, which is averaging the fewest points per game this season, had a good first half, but crumbled in the second against U.P. Coach Manpreet Singh will expect a better performance from his raiders on Monday.

Barring their 17-point trouncing at the hands of the Patna Pirates, the Puneri Paltan have been in smashing form of late. The have won six out of their last seven games and have won by an average margin of 10.5 points. Despite their remarkable run of results, they are eighth on the points table, but could climb into the top six with a win on Monday. The Paltan have made a mighty comeback and sit on the brink of a playoff spot. But there’s still work to be done in their last four league stage matches.

Gujarat Giants vs Puneri Paltan head-to-head

 The Gujarat Giants have won six and lost three of their nine matches against the Puneri Paltan. Pune won the first meeting between two sides this season by a scoreline of 33-26.

PKL Schedule for Monday, February 14

Match 116: Patna Pirates vs Telugu Titans, 7:30 PM IST

Match 117: Dabang Delhi K.C. vs U.P. Yoddha, 8:30 PM IST

Match 118: Gujarat Giants vs Puneri Paltan, 9:30 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.