PKL 2022
Kabaddi is the most celebrated traditional contact sport in India. Played between two teams of seven players each, several accounts of this game appear in ancient Indian history. Such is the love for Kabaddi in the Indian subcontinent that it was popularised in the 20th century. Moreover, it is currently the state game of 11 Indian states.
Inspired by the massive success of Kabaddi as an individual sport in the 2006 Asian Games, the Indian format of the Pro Kabaddi League, also known as PKL, was adopted to promote the sport in the mainstream media. The sporting event was officially launched in the year 2014.
This tournament is a double round robin-league tournament, comprising playoffs between proficient kabaddi teams. Powered by the Vivo Communication technology, Pro Kabaddi league is a professional sporting fest, endorsing the slogan of “Le Panga,” that enlivens the spirit of kabaddi in its true sense.
There had been initial speculations about the success of the PKL as the mass appeal compared to Cricket was relatively low. However, the tournament gained massive support and viewership in the first season itself. Since its launch in 2014, the sports league has gained the attention and admiration of innumerable Indian sports fans.
The reality of the sport’s stance among fans was realised by the fact that the game has the potential to attract a wider circumference of viewers if the league managed to gain traction in the initial phase since its history is rooted in the country at the grassroots level.
According to the Pro Kabaddi League Schedule, twelve domestic teams, representing variegated states will be participating in the matches. The ninth season of the PKL, which will start in October, will mark the league's tremendous progress over the previous few seasons. Although Hyderabad, Pune, and Bengaluru will host the league stage of the tournament, the venue details are yet to be released.
Fans can also watch live games featuring their favourite kabaddi stars on the OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar and Star Sports Network. The best thing about this much-awaited tournament is that fans can now get tickets online and offline to enter the stadium and witness the Kabaddi action from the front row.
Read on to focus on all the details of the upcoming ninth season of Pro Kabaddi League, including your favourite team, players auctioned highest, the winners of previous seasons and best stats of all teams in previous seasons.
Table of Content
PKL 2022 Schedule
The massive PKL auction was held in Mumbai on August 5th and 6th. Anupam Goswami, the league's head, recently disclosed that PKL 2022 is going to start on October 7. The competition will go on long and strong until mid-December.
All of the games will be held in Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad. In the upcoming weeks, the precise schedule is anticipated to come out. According to the Vivo Pro Kabaddi League's official website, fans will be permitted access to the stadium during matches. Everyone is anticipating an intriguing season since all teams appear to be evenly matched this season.
PKL 2022 Venue
The Pro Kabaddi League 2022 will be held in Pune, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. In the last edition, the tournament was held in the bio-bubble of Bengaluru stadium. However, the Covid situation is under control now, and as such, the PKL governing committee has decided to allow fans and supporters to enter the arena and cheer for their team. The availability of online and offline tickets for Pro Kabaddi League 2022 will be announced officially shortly.
Season 9: Pro Kabaddi League Teams
Season 9 of the Pro Kabaddi League 2022 is going to welcome the spectators soon considering the last season was played within a strict bio-bubble. Get ready for a whole new contest as the mega auction witness teams reshuffle their star players and refurbish the entire system. Every team has reinforced their strengths and is ready to step into the arena for an exciting battle.
Here is all you need to know about the 12 playing PKL teams that are ready to hit the ground for the much-coveted trophy.
Bengal Warriors
Bengal Warriors is a Kolkata-based team with its home turf at Netaji Indoor Stadium. Bengal Warriors won the PKL trophy in 2019 by defeating the strong contender Dabang Delhi K.C. Currently, the team is captained by Maninder Singh. B.C. Sharma is the coach of Bengal Warriors who has refurbished the squad and is eyeing the trophy for the second time.
Bengaluru Bulls
Bengaluru Bulls is a strong contender in the Pro Kabaddi League 2022. The Bengaluru-based team won the trophy in PKL season 6. The team was also the runner-up to U Mumba in 2015 and reached the semi-finals in the inaugural 2014 season.
Many young players who were under the guidance of the famous coach Randhir Singh Sehrawat went on to become household names after just the inaugural season. Bengaluru Bulls will be looking forward to making a strong impact in the upcoming PKL coached by Randhir Singh.
Dabang Delhi K.C.
Dabang Delhi K.C. is the retaining champion and will enter the PKL 2022 with high expectations from fans and critics alike. The home venue of this Delhi-based franchise is Thyagaraj Sports Complex. Led by Joginder Singh Narwal and mentored by Krishan Kumar Hooda, Dabang Delhi will look to retain the trophy.
Gujarat Giants
Gujarat Giants will definitely look to write history by winning the trophy for the first time. This Gujarat-based team had been runners-up on two successive occasions and are unfortunately, yet to grab the coveted cup. Under Sunil Kumar's leadership and Manpreet Singh's tutelage, Gujarat Fortune Giants are currently looking in great shape.They could well be the dark horse of the tournament.
Haryana Steelers
Haryana has produced several kabaddi stars including the ‘God of Kabaddi’ Anup Kumar. Ironically, Haryana Steelers is yet to make a scratch in the history of PKL. They have never reached the final of the Pro Kabaddi League. Thus, they are hungry for their maiden victory in the PKL final. Rakesh Kumar is appointed as the coach to make Haryana Steelers a team to watch out for.
Jaipur Pink Panthers
Jaipur Pink Panthers were the winners of the inaugural Pro Kabaddi League in 2014. The team, owned by the Bollywood superstar Abhishek Bacchan, has never won the cup since then. In season 4, Jaipur Pink Panthers lost to Patna Pirates in the final. Currently, the team has gone through a few changes and they are looking to reclaim their past glory once again Season 9 in PKL 2022.
Patna Pirates
Patna Pirates is one of the most formidable teams in the history of Pro Kabaddi League. They have won the title thrice in a row. Patna Pirates reached the final of the last Pro Kabaddi League season and after a nail-biting contest, Dbang Delhi won the match by only 1 point. Captained by Prashant Kumar Rai and coached by Ram Mehar Singh, Patna Pirates must be looking to thrive in PKL once again.
Puneri Paltan
Puneri Paltan has not reached the final of PKL yet. They must be looking to make a strong statement in the upcoming Pro Kabaddi League 2022. Anup Kumar, the God of Kabaddi in India has been appointed as the coach of Puneri Paltan. Supporters are waiting to see the magic of Anup Kumar once again.
Tamil Thalaivas
Tamil Thalaivas has created havoc in the auction by picking up Pawan Sherawat as their raider. Tamil Thalaivas is looking to find the perfect rhythm from the first match and lift the cup. They are yet to reach the final of the Pro Kabaddi League and this season could end their dry streak.
Telugu Titans
Telugu Titans are among the teams who have not played up to their potential so far in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League. They are yet to taste success and this season they look determined to turn the tables. With Rohit Kumar as the captain and Jagdeesh Kumble as the coach, Telugu Titans are aiming to lift the cup for the first time.
U Mumba
U Mumba has been one of the most consistent teams in the Pro Kabaddi League. The team was captained by Anup Kumar in the initial seasons during which they reached the final and ended up as runners-up in the first and third editions of the Pro Kabaddi League.
The second season belonged to U Mumba as Anup Kumar led them to a memorable victory against Bengaluru Bulls. Since then, U Mumba is due to fire up in the tournament. This season could belong to them under the coaching of Rajaguru Subramanian and Anil Chaprana and the leadership of Fazel Atrachali.
U.P. Yoddha
U.P. Yoddha is a team that has always been a true contender for the trophy. U.P. Yoddha is popular for its fearless brand of kabaddi. However, they are yet to reach the final in any season of the PKL. This time, U.P. Yoddha has signed Pradeep Narwal, the star raider. Fans are expecting some exciting matches and of course, the beautiful trophy from U.P. Yoddha.
Given the recent stats and current form and reformulation of the teams standing, spectators can expect a tough fight in this tournament. The puja holidays will be more exciting now with live games of PKL season 9 on the screen. You can see the matches live on Star Sports networks and Disney plus Hotstar. For live scores and recent stats, stay tuned to BalleBaazi.
Top Signings for PKL 2022
The following section will give you an insight into the recent developments for the upcoming Pro Kabaddi League 2022 teams after the mega PKL auction.
- Pawan Kumar Sehrawat, who was acquired by the Tamil Thalaivas for a staggering INR 2.26 Crore, is now the most expensive player in League history.
- One of the other major additions was Vikash Kandola, a former star for the Haryana Steelers who the Bengaluru Bulls purchased for INR 1.7 crore to replace Sehrawat.
- Fazel Atrachali continued to hold the record for being the most expensive foreign player in the PKL, despite Puneri Paltan agreeing to pay an exorbitant price of INR 1.38 crore to sign the Iranian defender.
- Pardeep Narwal was the most expensive player at the PKL Season 8 auction, hence his appearance on the list of discharged players for the Vivo Pro Kabaddi 2022 sale raised some questions. However, UP Yoddhas re-signed the "Dubki King" for INR 90 lakh by using their Final Bid Match (FBM) card.
- Guman Singh surprised everyone by being one of the players that garnered bids above one crore in the PKL Season 9 auction. Guman, a raider who previously competed for the Patna Pirates in Season 8, mesmerized viewers wby scoring 97 points in 19 games. He will be one of the crucial players to watch, especially given his exorbitant price tag of INR 1.21 Crores.
Previous PKL Winners
The Pro Kabaddi League has been a massive sports event in India since its inception in 2014. The craze and buzz created by the tournament has been throttled by many nail-biting matches and finishes throughout the history of PKL. Teams have risen to the throne and toppled over, and new teams have come to claim victory. In a nutshell, PKL has been a rollercoaster ride.
Here is a table of the previous champions and runners-up teams.
| PKL Season | Winning Team | Runners-Up | Points Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| PKL Season 1 | Jaipur Pink Panthers | U Mumba | 11 |
| PKL Season 2 | U Mumba | Bengaluru Bulls | 6 |
| PKL Season 3 | Patna Pirates | U Mumba | 3 |
| PKL Season 4 | Patna Pirates | Jaipur Pink Panthers | 8 |
| PKL Season 5 | Patna Pirates | Gujarat Fortunegiants | 17 |
| PKL Season 6 | Bengaluru Bulls | Gujarat Fortunegiants | 5 |
| PKL Season 7 | Bengal Warriors | Dabang Delhi K.C. | 5 |
| PKL Season 8 | Dabang Delhi K.C. | Patna Pirates | 1 |
Pro Kabaddi Team Stats
Pro Kabaddi League teams have fought neck-to-neck to grab the single most coveted trophy in this sport. Every team gives their best to win the battle. Here are the ultimate Pro Kabaddi team stats for your reference.
| Category | Team | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Successful Team Raids | Bengaluru Bulls | 433 |
| Team Raid | U.P. Yoddha | 1015 |
| Team Successful Tackles | Patna Pirates | 272 |
| Team Successful Raids Per Match | Bengaluru Bulls | 18.04 |
| Team Successful Raid Percent | Bengaluru Bulls | 43.65 |
| Team Successful Tackles Per Match | Patna Pirates | 11.33 |
| Team Successful Tackle Percent | Patna Pirates | 46.1 |
| Team Super Tackles | U.P. Yoddha | 27 |
| Team Tackle Points | Patna Pirates | 289 |
| Team Total Points | Bengaluru Bulls | 796 |
| Team Raid Points | Bengaluru Bulls | 535 |
| Team Average Raid Points | Bengaluru Bulls | 22.29 |
| Team Average Tackle Points | Patna Pirates | 12.04 |
| Team Total Points Conceded | Telugu Titans | 851 |
| Team Super Raid | U.P. Yoddha | 22 |
| Team DOD Raid Points | Puneri Paltan | 102 |
| Team All-outs Inflicted | Patna Pirates | 38 |
| Team All-outs Conceded | Tamil Thalaivas | 36 |
| Team Avg Points Scored | Bengaluru Bulls | 37.63 |
PKL FAQs
A total of 137 matches were held in the last Pro Kabaddi League. Since the number of teams remains the same this season, you can expect the approximately same number of matches. However, if there is a change in the format of the league, the number may vary. The same will be confirmed by this month once the Pro Kabaddi League committee reveals the final PKL schedule for 2022.
With a total of 1348 raid points in 131 games, Pardeep Narwal is the leading raider in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League. Nicknamed "Dubki King," he has surpassed the 1000-point milestone in Pro Kabaddi for the first time, averaging 10.29 raid points per game in the league.
Deepak Niwas Hooda, the veteran kabaddi player is the best all-rounder in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League. Deepak Niwas Hooda has won 785 points in 103 matches. Among 785 points, 710 are raid points and 75 are tackle points.
Fazel Atrachali is the most valuable defender who featured in the last PKL season for U Mumba. He will represent Puneri Paltan this year.
PKL has offered unparalleled action since its inception. The Pro Kabaddi League has seen many teams rising up to the occasion and giving the audience some absolute thrillers. The last season saw a new winner, Dabang Delhi K.C. This team will arrive at PKL 2022 stadium as the defending champion.
Anup Kumar is hailed as the ‘God of Kabaddi’ in India. He was a part of the Asian gold-winning team in 2010 and 2014. He represented U Mumba and Jaipur Pink Panthers in the Pro Kabaddi League but retired on 19th December 2018. Currently, he is associated with Puneri Paltan as the coach.
Patna Pirates is the most successful team in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League. They have won the title 3 times, most by any team in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League so far.
Haryana is the state that has produced many iconic kabaddi players including Anup Kumar, the ‘God of Kabaddi’ in India. Apart from him, Narwhals also hail from Haryana. The game has garnered a special corner in the Haryanvi culture. It is one of the few states in India that celebrates Kabaddi more than any other sport including Cricket.
The Pro Kabaddi League 2022 is all set to begin from 7th October, 2022. In the post-auction announcement, the PKL committee stated that the tournament will take place in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Pune from 7th October to mid-December. The full fixture is awaited eagerly by the fans and it is expected to be released very soon.
Jaipur Pink Panthers beat U Mumba were the winners of the inaugural Pro Kabaddi League in 2014. They smashed the season with a total of 10 wins out of 14 games.
In India, kabaddi has a history that dates back to almost 4,000 years to the Vedic period. Besides Haryana, the contact team sport is also the national sport of Tamil Nadu. However, even though it has long-standing roots in the nation, its reach hasn't been that wide. Pro Kabaddi League, which debuted in 2014, elevated the traditional game and transformed it into a thrilling skill sport for the twenty-first century.
In the last edition of the Pro Kabaddi League, there were 4 major awards. These awards are - Best Raider, Best Defender, Most Valuable Player of the Season, and the Emerging Player of the Season.
Pawan Sehrawat has won maximum awards as the Best Raider in season VI, VII and VIII and Manjeet Chhillar has grabbed the Best Defender title twice in Season I and III.
Since its inception in 2014, a total of 8 Pro Kabaddi League seasons have already been played. The upcoming season is the ninth edition which will start from 7th October, 2022.
Patna Pirates is the most successful team in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League. They have won the title 3 times, most by any team in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League so far.