Pro Kabaddi | Patna Pirates probable 7 and schedule for PKL 2021
Patna Pirates are the most successful side in the Pro Kabaddi League and have three titles to their name, along with two other playoff finishes. Only twice have they not managed to be in the knockouts of the tournament, and it will be interesting to see how they will fare without Pardeep Narwal.
What happened in 2019
It was a season filled with disappointments for Team Patna. They finished a lowly eighth on the points table with just eight wins under their belt. Pardeep Narwal was a hit again, and scored over 300 points, but could not do much to take them to the next round. The matches that they lost weren't close either, which suggests that the team failed collectively.
Auctions 2021
Coach Ram Mehar Singh let go the main man -- Pardeep, over the latter's insistence, as per certain reports. The likes of Neeraj Kumar, Monu, Mohit, Rajveersinh Chavan, Sahil Mann were retained by the team. They invested heavily in raider Sachin (84L), and Prashant Kumar Rai (55L).
Expectations
Despite the lack of star power, they seem to have a team that will give them the wins. There are certain upcoming players on the team, and the coach will try to get the best out of them. Even though they do not look the strongest on paper, Pirates is one team that the opponents should be wary of. They are certainly contenders to book a place in the playoffs. South Korean veteran Jang Kun Lee has opted out of the tournament, and Patna will have to find a suitable replacement for him soon.
Probable 7
Prashanth Kumar Rai (Raider)
Sachin Tanwar (Raider)
Monu Goyat (Raider)
Sandeep (Left Cover)
Neeraj Kumar (Right Cover)
Mohammadreza Shadloui (Left Corner)
Shubham Shinde (Right Corner)
Schedule
Haryana Steelers - 23 December
UP Yoddha - 25 December
Puneri Paltan - 28 December
Bengal Warriors - 31 December
Telugu Titans - 3 January
Tamil Thalaivas - 6 January
Gujarat Giants - 8 January
U Mumba - 11 January
Jaipur Pink Panthers - 14 January
Bengaluru Bulls - 16 January
Dabang Delhi KC - 18 January