PKL 2018 | Super Playoffs format for the sixth edition

12/12/2018

The incredible and unfathomable success of Pro Kabaddi League had much more to do with the administration’s masterful design to provide endless Kabaddi to its audience for almost three months, rather than just banking on the unique entertainment quotient of the sport. Let’s look at how they did it.

After the brilliant success of the first three seasons, PKL saw four new teams joining the tournament in 2017 in UP Yoddhas, Haryana Steelers, Tamil Thalaivas, and Gujarat Fortunegiants. The influx of money and glitz had made it apparent that the nation couldn’t get enough of it and an untapped market apart from cricket was seen waiting to be captured.

Hence, the administration decided to make the tournament an almost three-month-long campaign with two back-to-back matches on most days. The tournament was divided into two zones with six teams in the caravan format, where all the teams would be moving from one city to another during the course of the tournament.

The format, introduced in 2017, has been extended to the 2018 season where each team would be playing 22 matches, 15 intra-zone matches, 6 inter-zone matches and one wildcard match. The two-month long league format is coming to an end with U Mumba and Gujarat Fortunegiants the only teams to cement their qualification into the super-playoffs from Zone A. The Zone B has been far more competitive with Bengaluru Bulls and Patna Pirates seeing some ray of sunshine from the other four sides although anything is possible with five more matches to go.

Among the doubtful, Dabang Delhi are on the verge of sealing a spot in Zone A, while Telegu Titans and Bengal Warriors would seemingly be fighting for the third place in Zone B with just two points separating them. Leading the Zone B at the moment, Bengaluru Bulls would hope to emulate U Mumba, who are in the other zone, and secure a top spot as soon as possible for it saves them a lot of hassle, given how the "super playoffs" is designed thereafter.

The first match of the playoffs, namely Qualifier one, would see the topper of Zone A taking on the topper of Zone B, and the winner of which would directly go to the final. The loser here, however, will have to wait long for his shot at a second chance. Before the Qualifier 2, there would be Eliminator 1 and Eliminator 2. While the second team of Zone A would take on the third team of Zone B in Eliminator 1, the third team of Zone A will face the second team of Zone B in Eliminator 2.

The winner of Eliminator 1 and 2 would play out a final eliminator in Eliminator 3 before one of them books a spot in the Qualifier 2. All this while, the winner of Qualifier 1 would wait to find their opponent for the final match of the season. While the seemingly dragged out format looks tedious at times, not only does it give Kabaddi’s audience a perfect climax but also provides the qualified teams fair amount of chances at glory.

PKL 2018 | Super Playoffs format for the sixth edition

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