Top spot in sight for Gujarat Fortunegiants when they visit Pune

A high stakes fixture in Zone A sees second-placed Gujarat Fortunegiants take on Puneri Paltan at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune on Thursday. A victory for Gujarat Fortunegiants will see them reclaim top spot from U Mumba whereas a win for Puneri Paltan will see them go 18 points clear of Dabang Delhi K.C., who currently occupy the fourth place in Zone A.

The two teams have already met twice in this campaign with Gujarat Fortunegiants triumphing on both occasions. Their most recent meeting took place at the Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna where Gujarat Fortunegiants won by a scoreline of 37-27 courtesy of a Super 10 from Sachin.

Match 87(Zone A): Puneri Paltan vs. Gujarat Fortunegiants

Head-to-head: Puneri Paltan 0-5 Gujarat Fortunegiants

Form Guide:

Puneri Paltan	RESULT(W-T-L)	POINTS SCORED	POINTS CONCEDED
Vs. Haryana Steelers	WON	35	33
Vs. Jaipur Pink Panthers	TIED	30	30
Vs. Bengal Warriors	LOST	22	26
Vs. Telugu Titans	LOST	25	28
Vs. U Mumba	LOST	22	31
TOTAL	1-1-3	134	148

Stats from the last five matches –

Average Points Scored – 26.8

Average Points Conceded – 29.6

Best Raider- More GB

Best Defender – Girish Maruti Ernak

Gujarat Fortunegiants	RESULT(W-T-L)	POINTS SCORED	POINTS CONCEDED
Vs. Haryana Steelers	WON	40	31
Vs. U Mumba	WON	39	35
Vs. Dabang Delhi K.C.	LOST	26	29
Vs. U.P. Yoddha	WON	37	32
Vs. Bengaluru Bulls	TIED	30	30
TOTAL	3-1-1	172	157

Stats from the last five matches –

Average Points Scored – 34.4

Average Points Conceded – 31.4

Best Raider- Sachin

Best Defender – Parvesh Bhainswal

The big battle –

More G B vs. Sachin

More G B has ably supported the Puneri Paltan offence in the absence of Nitin Tomar, scoring 49 raid points. He is the team’s second-best raider in terms of raid points scored and, in a Puneri Paltan set up which is heavy on defence, his performance in the raiding department will be vital to their chances against a stellar Gujarat Fortunegiants defensive lineup. He hasn’t enjoyed much success against Gujarat Fortunegiants in their previous encounters this season but is in good touch currently and will want to extend that run against them.

After a brilliant campaign in Season 5 for Gujarat Fortunegiants, raider Sachin has kicked on and continued to deliver for the team in offence in Season 6 as well. He leads the team in raid points with 104, twice as many as the next best tally for their team, and has four Super 10s to his name. Sachin has scored 19 raid points in his two outings against Puneri Paltan in Season 6, showcasing that the raider performs at his very best when he comes up against the side.

Key Khiladi –

Girish Maruti Ernak – Puneri Paltan

Puneri Paltan captain Girish Maruti Ernak has enjoyed a good campaign in VIVO Pro Kabaddi Season 6 and currently ranks 7th in the race for Best Defender. He leads his team in tackle points with 42 and ranks second in assists. Ernak has been stellar at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, leading all players in tackle points with 22 in seven fixtures and will be expected to have another big performance if his team are to win their first ever match against Gujarat Fortunegiants.

Parvesh Bhainswal – Gujarat Fortunegiants

Left Cover Parvesh Bhainswal’s form has been a key reason why Gujarat Fortunegiants have won 10 of their last 12 fixtures in VIVO Pro Kabaddi Season 6. The 21-year old is one of only four players with over 50 tackle points and is currently fourth in the rankings for Best Defenders in VIVO Pro Kabaddi Season 6. Bhainswal has scored seven tackle points in his two appearances against Puneri Paltan and will be keen on adding another big performance to his name and propel his team to the top of the standings.