Bengal Warriors will go up against Jaipur Pink Panthers in the Pro Kabaddi League at the Kankarbagh Indoor stadium in Patna on Sunday.
Both teams go into the match after recording victories in their previous encounters against Telugu Titans. The Warriors defeated the Titans in hard-fought match, whereas the Panthers simply rendered the boys from Vizag apart.
Going into this match, the Panthers are out and out favourites. They are in third position behind Patna Pirates but with a game in hand. And they now look as if they can pose a serious challenge to leaders U Mumba. More victories would mean the gap closes.
Undoubtedly this is one of the hardest matches the Warriors will play. They are in sixth position and would love to go up the points table. But this is a task easier said than done. At this juncture, there appears to be a clear gulf between the Panthers and the Warriors. But that said, anything can happen on that particular day.
Going into the game, the Warriors would be more confident than they were before the previous encounters. The win against the Titans would have put them in a good frame of mind. Defensively though, they still have a lot of work to do. Against a team like the Panthers, slip-ups in defence would be detrimental.
Against the likes of Jasvir Singh, the Warriors defence would have to be on their toes at all times. In attack, they looked good in the last game as they constantly went after the Titans. A similar performance by the Warriors is needed against the Panthers. Korean raider Jang Kun Lee is key for the Warriors.
Jaipur, on the other hand, have been nothing short of imperious so far, after the loss against U Mumba. They have disposed of teams with clinical efficiency. In their last game, they hammered the Titans 49-29. Almost all the victories of the Panthers have been convincing. Earlier in the tournament they had beaten Patna 40-18. If they continue in this vein, leaders U Mumba would get a tad nervous.
Jasvir for the Panthers with his raids has been tremendous, while in defence Ran Singh has held firm.
The Panthers, clear favourites, are expected to dominate the Warriors. The boys from Bengal have to find a way to keep the Panthers at bay, if they are to improve their standing in the league.
Where to Watch Live
Jaipur Pink Panthers will play Bengal Warriors at 8:00pm. Star Sports will air the match. Live coverage will comence on Star Sports HD 2 from 7:45 pm. This is the link for the live streaming option on starsports.com.
