Gujarat Fortune Giants
Gujarat Giants has always been a tough team to beat, given its exceptional defense record. The duo of Sunil Kumar and Parvesh Bhainswal has been second to none when it came to defending their half. The strong defense of the team was a key reason why they made it to the finals in the first two seasons they played.
However, the team’s performance was a bit lackluster in the previous season, and this has led coach Manpreet Singh to take some tough calls. An already strong defense line-up has been further bolstered with the addition of names like Ravinder Pahal and Girish Maruti Ernak, for the Right and Left Corners respectively. Overseas players Hadi Oshtorak and debutant Soleiman Pahlevani too are defensive players.
Harmanjit Singh is the sole raider that the team has retained, and has brought in new names like Sonu and Mahendra Ganesh Rajput. While most of his raiders are relatively unknown, the coach has shown his ability in the past to groom new talent. It wouldn’t be surprising then if some of these young players turn out to be the superstars of the future.
Jaipur Pink Panthers
After winning the inaugural season of the PKL, the Jaipur Pink Panthers are still searching for a second championship victory. This time around, the team management seems to have played their cards right, and managed to find a perfect balance of youth and experience for their team.
Jaipur has managed to snap up one of the hottest buys of the season, young raider Arjun Deshwal, for ₹96 lacs. They also managed to buy back their star players Deepak Hooda and Sandeep Dhull, using the FBM cards, to ensure that there is no dearth of experience in the squad. Getting the strategy right on the mat has been a problem for the Pink Panthers in the past and they will need to be at their best against a tough Gujarat Fortunegiants team.
Right corner specialist Ravinder Pahal holds the record for most tackle points in a single season. He scored 60 points in season 2 while playing for Dabang Delhi.
Arjun Deshwal scored 106 points in the 19 games he played for U Mumba in the previous season.
The two teams are certainly very closely matched but they bring some quite different things to the table. The Gujarat Fortunegiants favor their defense over everything else while the Pink Panthers are a flamboyant and aggressive team. A strong defense may tip the balance in favor of the Gujarat Fortunegiants.
Bet on the Gujarat Fortunegiants to win.