Pro Kabaddi League 2019: Preview: Tamil Thalaivas, Puneri Paltan look to get back among wins

Chennai, August 18: Tamil Thalaivas hope for home advantage when they face Puneri Paltan in the Pro Kabaddi League 2019 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai on Sunday (August 18).

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Both teams come into this fixture having been on the wrong side of the result in their previous encounter and will be keen to add a win to their tally.

Tamil Thalaivas have an opportunity to move into the top half of the Season 7 standings if they win, while Puneri Paltan can leapfrog Telugu Titans and move up from the bottom position.

Tamil Thalaivas faced defeat in their opening home leg match against Bengaluru Bulls despite a spirited comeback in the second half. However, every single player who took the mat for them in that match got points on the board which bodes well for the team going forward.

Game 2⃣ of the weekend is here!

We're all set for the bhaari panga tonight 👊#IdhuNammaAatam #CHEvPUN pic.twitter.com/iwlE8nNYVy

— Tamil Thalaivas (@tamilthalaivas) August 18, 2019

'Iceman' Ajay Thakur was the pick of the raiders while Ran Singh showcased his defensive ability with 4 tackle points to his name. The surprise package, however, was raider V Ajith Kumar, who came off the bench to score four touch points.

One can expect the raider to make more appearances for the side in the coming games as he looks to make more of an impact. If other results go their way, Tamil Thalaivas could finish the weekend in fifth position in the Season 7 standing and give them positive momentum for the rest of their home leg.

Puneri Paltan, who have been undoubtedly boosted by the return of Nitin Tomar, will hope Pankaj Mohite continues making an impact for the team.

The raider already has 31 raid points to his name in just five appearances and looks good for plenty more. Against Jaipur Pink Panthers, Mohite put up an excellent fight and had eight raid points from 10 raids to show for his efforts.

What move is Pankaj Mohite planning, tell us in the comments.
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.#BhaariPaltan #puneripaltan #gheuntak #pune #VivoProKabaddi #IsseToughKuchNahi pic.twitter.com/FINIJnk15P

— Puneri Paltan (@PuneriPaltan) August 18, 2019

The previous encounter also saw Hadi Tajik come off the bench and effect a strong Super Tackle, giving coach Anup Kumar a glimpse of the firepower that the Iranian could add to an already dangerous-looking defence, comprising of Girish Maruti Ernak and Surjeet Singh.

While Puneri Paltan currently sit at the bottom of the standings, a couple of positive results could turn the tides very quickly for the team and they will hope Sunday's match kickstarts that run.

Game starts at 8.30 PM IST on Sunday (August 18)

Live Channel: Star Sports 2 and Star Sports 2HD

Live Stream: HotStar

Source: Pro Kabaddi