PKL 2018 | Delhi will take every game as last game in playoffs, explains skipper Joginder Narwal
Joginder Narwal has expressed his delight after his side made it to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and mentioned that they will take every game in the playoff stage as their last game. Delhi is the last team from Zone A to make it to the playoffs in the ongoing season of PKL.
With a total of 68 points from the 22 games of the group stages, the team from the national capital has already made it to the playoffs of the sixth edition of Pro Kabaddi League. The Joginder Narwal-led side is the third after U Mumba and Gujarat
Dabang Delhi managed to win five out of their six matches in front of their home crowd which made their path to the playoffs quite easier. They were defeated only by U Mumba on the second day of the leg and apart from that the phenomenal run at home was instrumental in the team making it to playoffs.
“We will take every game as the last game during the playoffs. For us, all matches are going to be important. Hum 100%
“Our team has been doing well from the very beginning of the league this year. In our home leg, we played with an aim of winning all the games and ensuring a place in the playoffs. The match against U Mumba was the only one where we were defeated in Delhi.”
Joginder has played 20 matches so far in the ongoing season of the Pro Kabaddi League and has scored a total of 47 tackle points at the crucial left corner position for the Delhi team. He has contributed a lot being the captain of the side as well as each and every time a raider goes, Joginder is seen talking to him and making him aware of the match situation. His presence has made the defence look stronger with others like Ravinder Pahal and Vishal Mane in the side for Dabang.
© PKL“I am trying to do whatever the team wants from me. I have a lot of responsibility as a captain and I try to ensure that I stay on the mat for
“Ravinder Pahal and I have played a lot of games together as we come from the same district and know him well. I have a very good bonding with him as well. Vishal Mane is an experienced player and his presence also matters a lot for the team. I advise Vishal and he also instructs me whenever there is a need for the team.”
With three experienced defenders in the side, the Delhi unit lacks a proper and experienced raider and they only have the Iranian all-rounder Meraj Sheykh apart from the young Indian raiders Naveen Kumar, Chandran Ranjit and Pawan Kadian. Dabang Delhi also tried Shabeer Bapu and Yogesh Hooda in few of the games this season but Naveen has been their best raider by far. The 18-year-old has scored 151 points from the 20 games that he has played so far in the league. According to the skipper, coach Krishan Kumar Hooda has also played a very important role in this direction when it comes to the selection of the team and substituting the players between a match.
“Naveen has been a very good find for us. Our coach kept a close eye on his training during the camp before the league started. We wanted him to do well for us and it’s good that he stepped up for the team. Meraj’s performance was outstanding in some of the matches. Ranjit’s Super Raids also turned the tables on a few occasions. Our coach has been successful with the experiments by substituting the right players at the right time as per the requirement of the team,” Joginder informed.
When asked to pick a single player as the trump card of the side, Joginder replied, “As a captain, I don’t think there is a trump card for me in the team. The player who will perform will be on the mat for me. Even if a substitute does well, we can continue with him. I am ready to go off the mat if my performance is not up to the mark. Winning matches is the priority for our team.”
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