U Mumba start PKL campaign vs neighbours Puneri Paltan

CHENNAI: The stage is set for Season VI of the Pro Kabaddi League with Tamil Thalaivas taking on defending champion Patna Pirates in the season opener while U Mumba lock horns with Puneri Paltan in the other match of the day.

Patna Pirates, winner of the last three editions starts as the favourites, while Gujarat Fortunegiants, Bengal Warriors and Jaipur Panthers will be among the sides aiming to dethrone the champion.

U Mumba, who finished fourth in Zone A in the previous edition of the league, have made quite a few prominent changes to their side this time around.

While they will feature in the razzmatazz league for the first time without Anup Kumar as their skipper, they’ve also brought in Iranian coach Gholamreza Mazandarani who is the first foreign coach in the history of the tournament.

Kumar has been replaced by star defender Fazel Atrachali who was swooped in for a whopping ₹1 crore.

Along with Dharmaraj Cheralathan, who featured for Puneri Paltan last season, Cheralathan’s arrival also gives the side a good combination in the corners.

The side lacks of a prominent raider though and thus might find themselves short against a side that would boast of defenders Sandeep Narwal and Girish Maruti in the corners.

The Paltans would want to start on a positive note given

they’ve reached the play-offs for three seasons in a row after finishing eighth in the inaugural two seasons.

Nitin Tomar, who was with the Paltans in the fourth season has been brought back, and will lead the raiding charge for his side.

The 12-team league will move to Sonepat after the first leg here. After the league matches, the play-offs will be held in Kochi and the finale will be held in Mumbai.