PKL 2024: Top 6 potential playoff contenders for PKL 11

Pro Kabaddi League season 11 is just around the corner, with reports suggesting a possible start date of October 18th. All teams have already begun their preparations to clinch the PKL 11 title, and some have built formidable squads through the auction. Let's discuss the teams that are most likely to qualify for the playoffs in PKL 11.

1. Puneri Paltan

Despite releasing Mohammadreza Shadlou before the auction, Puneri Paltan still looks strong. Aslam Inamdar, their all-rounder and captain, led the team to victory last season. They also have talented raiders like Mohit Goyat, Pankaj Mohite, Akash Shinde, and V Ajith Kumar. On the defensive side, Gaurav Khatri, Sanket Sawat, Mohit, and Abinesh Nadarajan will be the key players.

2. Haryana Steelers

Haryana Steelers, who reached the finals last season on the strength of their defence, have further strengthened their defensive unit for PKL 11. They acquired Mohammadreza Shadlou for a whopping 2.07 crores. Along with Shadlou, Rahul Sethpal and Jaideep Dahiya will bolster the defense. For raiding, Vinay will be the main raider, supported by Shivam Patare and Vishal Tate.

3. Dabang Delhi

The season 8 champions, Dabang Delhi, are also strong contenders for the playoffs. Naveen Kumar and Ashu Malik are their key raiders, and they have added Siddharth Desai to their squad. On defense, Yogesh and Ashish will be crucial. Overall they have balanced squad who can challenge any team for the title.

4. Tamil Thalaivas

Tamil Thalaivas have made a significant acquisition in Sachin Tanwar, a do-or-die specialist raider. They bought Sachin Tanwar for a staggering 2.15 crore rupees, making him the most expensive player in PKL 11. Along with Narender Kandola, Tanwar will lead the raiding department. Their defense, consisting of Sagar, Mohit, Abhishek, and Sahil, is also quite strong. 

5. Bengal Warriors

The season 7 champions, Bengal Warriors, have brought back Maninder Singh for a decent 1.15 crore rupees using FBM card. At the PKL 11 player auction they also acquired top-class defenders like Fazel Atrachali and Nitesh Kumar. Mayur Kadam, Aditya Shinde, and Vaibhav Garje will also contribute to their performance.

6. Telugu Titans and Bengaluru Bulls

Both these teams have the potential to qualify. Telugu Titans have Pawan Sehrawat, at their helm. Titans bought Pawan using FBM card for 1.725 crore rupees. Furthermore they strengthened their squad by acquiring the services of Krishan Dhull for 80 Lakhs rupees and Vijay Malik for 20 Lakhs. 

Meanwhile, Bengaluru Bulls have acquired Pardeep Narwal, one of the most fierce raiders in the PKL. He has the most raid points in history of PKL, he has amassed 1690 points. To shoulder the responsibility of raiding department, Bulls has also bought Ajinkya Pawar for 1.1075 crore rupees.

On the other hand, the two-time champions, Jaipur Pink Panthers, also look promising on paper and can be a dark horse in the playoffs race. Other teams like Patna Pirates, UP Yoddhas and Gujarat Giants looks decent too and can give tough competition to other teams.