<h3>Puneri Paltan<h3>
How important can one man be to a Kabaddi campaign? A lot especially if that man is Nitin Tomar. Puneri Paltan’s entire offensive strategy is built on having Nitin Tomar fit and healthy on the mat. They are going to be praying fervently that he does not suffer an injury early in the tournament and is forced to sit out for the majority of the period.
Leading the team this time is going to be Surjeet Singh, a defensive mastermind who will be tasked with improving the defense of the side immediately. Surjeet Singh is going to be supported by Girish Maruti Ernak, another Puneri Paltan veteran and one of the best defenders in the PKL.
We don’t think the defense is going to be a big problem for Puneri Paltan. The key for them is going to e getting enough points on the board and somehow finding a way to reduce the pressure on Nitin Tomar.
Manjeet had a successful debut campaign for Puneri Paltan last season and may be ready to take on some more responsibility.
<h3>Haryana Steelers<h3>
The Haryana Steelers are one of the under-performers of Pro Kabaddi League. They had in their ranks the most expensive player up until last season and some very promising youngsters but they never got the entire squad pulling in the same direction.
PKL 2019 is a new start for the Haryana Steelers and they are going in with a new-look attack.
They are going to be led by Dharmaraj Cheralathan, a title-winning captain with the Patna Pirates, and an ace defender himself. Having him at the helm will help unify the team and ensure that there is one senior leader to take responsibility of the situation.
The defense is going to be pretty formidable thanks to Kuldeep Singh, Vikas Kale, and Ravi Kumar likely to find a place in the starting seven.
The raiding unit has acquired the services of Prashant Kumar Rai who was very impressive for UP Yoddha last season. He is going to be leading the attack alongside Vikash Khandola. This is not the first time they are playing together since they also played for the same team in season 5 of the Pro Kabaddi League.
Puneri Paltan has won five out of the six times these two teams have played against each other. We know that the squads are quite different this season but a record like that definitely leaves a mark.
The Haryana Steelers are a side that is being reformed from the ground up. This process can take some time and provide a bit of heartache in the beginning. Puneri Paltan, on the other hand, is an experienced side with its lead raider fit and back for duty.
We think they should be able to win this match with ease.
Bet on Puneri Paltan to win.