Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 21 : Since coming into the second leg of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 11, the Gujarat Giants have been doing well in comparison to the first leg in Hyderabad, where they won only one game. In their most recent outing, the Gujarat Giants put on a solid show against Dabang Delhi KC and came from behind to clinch what was not only a thrilling tie but also an important morale boosting one as well.
The Gujarat Giants' coach Ram Mehar Singh said, "When a team is in a tough situation, then as a coach, it is my duty to motivate my players. I told my players that they can definitely make a comeback and we spoke about implementing some changes as well," he said.
And picking up the cue from his coach was Parteek Dahiya, who came on as a substitute in the first half, and turned the game on its head, scoring 20 points in the game.
"We wanted to be a little cautious about Parteek today. But when he came into the game, Parteek played really well and that of course helped our performance improve and then clinch the tie," Singh said, according to a PKL release.
"We lost control in small moments in the game, and especially towards the end which hurt us. Otherwise, the game was in our control for the majority of the match," he added.
Looking ahead to the next contest against the Telugu Titans, who have been in fine form recently, Ram Mehar Singh said, "All the teams in the PKL are quite strong and it is important that we take things one game at a time, and plan as per each team. The Telugu Titans are in-form, so we will get together and make the plans in the next couple of days that we have, and hope to do well in the game," he said as quoted by a release from PKL.
When asked about Pawan Sehrawat, the Gujarat Giants coach said, "He is a very impressive player, and one of the best in the PKL. He is injured now so I hope he recovers well, and we will plan accordingly for him and the rest of the team, and not focus on just one player."
In the first game of the day, the Tamil Thalaivas will face the home favourite, UP Yoddhas. While the Tamil Thalaivas started PKL Season 11 well with some good performances in Hyderabad, their form in recent weeks has been a bit patchy, and they will look to return to winning ways. On the other hand, the UP Yoddhas have not lost in their last two games, and will be keen to build on that in front of their own fans.
In the second game of the day, the Jaipur Pink Panthers, led by Arjun Deshwal, will take on the Dabang Delhi K.C. This contest will pit two ace raiders against each other, with Arjun Deshwal and Ashu Malik facing off, and interestingly both have crossed the 100-point mark this season already, with the Dabang Delhi K.C. man leading the scoring charts for the season. While Jaipur Pink Panthers have not lost in 3 games, the Dabang Delhi K.C. are unbeaten in their last 5.