Pro Kabaddi League: Everything you need to know about the semifinals and the final, schedule, and where to watch it
The ninth season of the VIVO Pro Kabaddi League is all set for the playoffs after nine weeks of exhilarating performances by 12 teams.
Pro Kabaddi League: schedulePuneri Paltan and Jaipur Pink Panthers have directly qualified for the semi-finals on account of finishing as the top teams in the league stage.
Dabang Delhi KC, Tamil Thaliavas, Bengaluru Bulls, and UP Yoddhas also advanced to the playoffs and locked horns with the Eliminators for a spot in the semi-finals.
Bengaluru Bulls secured a 56-24 victory over Dabang Delhi KC in Eliminator one, while Tamil Thalaivas won against UP Yoddhas 36-36 (6-4) to advance to the semi-finals.
The semi-final round winners will then clash in the Pro Kabaddi League season nine championship match on December 17.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TopCats?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TopCats</a> have been in top form and finished as table-toppers this season🔥<br><br>Can they continue their solid record once more in the playoffs❓<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vivoProKabaddi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vivoProKabaddi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FantasticPanga?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FantasticPanga</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vivoPKLPlayoffs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vivoPKLPlayoffs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vivoPKL2022Playoffs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vivoPKL2022Playoffs</a> <a href="https://t.co/Nj8vXp1hyU">pic.twitter.com/Nj8vXp1hyU</a></p>— ProKabaddi (@ProKabaddi) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProKabaddi/status/1603283722748444673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Jaipur Pink Panthers will face Bengaluru Bulls, while Puneri Paltan will clash with Tamil Thalaivas at 'Dome, NSCI SVP Stadium in Mumbai, Maharashtra, on December 15.
Talking about season nine of the VIVO Pro Kabaddi League, the League Commissioner and head of Mashal Esports, Anupam Goswami, said: "The biggest takeaway from the consumption point of view is the return of the spectator across Bengaluru, Pune and Hyderabad."
He added: "It was heartening to see the presence & exuberance of the spectators and their engagement with the action on the mat from before the start of the match to the end of the award ceremony. I think there are clear signs that the Indian sports spectators want more of kabaddi."
Semifinal one: Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Bengaluru Bulls
Jaipur Pink Panthers finished the league stage at the top of the charts and are keen to win the Pro Kabaddi League title for the second time, having won it previously during the tournament's inaugural edition in 2014.
Vishal Deshwal will be spearheading the raids for Jaipur Pink Panthers, backed by V Ajith Kumar and Rahul Chaudhari. The top defender of the squad, Ankush, will be expected to bring his best game to the table alongside Sunil Kumar, Sahul Kumar and Reza Mirbagher.
Bengaluru Bulls advanced to the semi-final after beating Dabang Delhi KC in the Eliminator one and will be hoping to advance to the championship match at the cost of Jaipur Pink Panthers.
Head to Head
Jaipur Pink Panthers and Bengaluru Bulls have locked horns on 17 occasions. Both sides have won against each other eight times, while one clash ended in a draw.
Semifinal two: Tamil Thaliavas vs Puneri Paltan
Puneri Paltan have received direct qualification to the semi-final, while Tamil Thalaivas booked a spot after beating UP Yoddha in the Eliminator.
Puneri Paltan will have high hopes for their raiding trio of Aslam Inamdar, Akash Shinde, and Mohit Goyat. Captain Fazel Atrachali, backed by Sombir, Abinesh Nadarajan, and Sanket Sawant, makes them stronger on the defensive front.
Head to Head
Tamil Thaliavas and Puneri Paltan have faced each other eight teams. Both sides have beaten the other on three occasions, while two matches ended in a draw.
Live broadcasts of Pro Kabaddi League 2022 matches will be available in India on the Star Sports 2 and Star Sports 2 HD TV stations. The Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada channels of the Start Sports Networks will offer commentary in regional languages. The PKL 2022 will be streamed live on Disney+ Hotstar.