PKL Finals: Top 5 all time memorable performances

Pro Kabaddi League has turned out to be one of the biggest leagues in the country. Barring the IPL, no other league enjoys as much popularity as the PKL in India. The league has truly transformed to be one of the main attractions of the viewers in the nation. The marketing of the league has been amazing. The fans are always thrilled to watch the matches in the league. The PKL is already a success with the 10th edition of the league already promising a lot for the fans.

Right from the first season, there has been enough thrill offered for the fans. The stadiums have witnessed good turnouts across all parts of the country. In the 9 seasons so far, PKL has seen the highest viewership for a league from India other than the IPL. The athleticism provided in the sport is not matched by any other sports league. The event in Kabaddi happens every second. Hence, the fans are never bored to watch a game of Kabaddi. There is a reason behind the success of the league.

The players have been able to come up with their best performances every now and then. The teams in turn get good results with the good performances of the players. In the final of the league, there have been many moments which is intact in the memories of the fans. It is time to look at the Top 5 most memorable performances in the PKL Finals of all time.

5. Jaipur Pink Panthers vs U Mumba, Season 1

It was the final of the first-ever edition of the PKL. Jaipur Pink Panthers were up against U Mumba in the maiden final of the league at the NSCI stadium in Mumbai. The match had terrific anticipation from the fans. It was the first time that the two sides were up against each other in a PKL final. No team were the favourites, as both of them performed very well till that point in the league. The match was pretty one-sided in the favor of Jaipur Pink Panthers.

U Mumba could not perform as a unit. Their two players claimed the highest number of raid points and the tackle points in the match. While Manjeet Chillar was the best defender of the season, Anup Kumar was the best raider of the match. Both of them ended up losing the season. Anup Kumar claimed the most number of points for the side with his performance. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be a winning season for U Mumba, as they lost 24-35 to Jaipur.

4. Patna Pirates vs Gujarat Fortune Giants, Season 5

It was the final of the fifth season of the league. Patna Pirates were up against Gujarat Giants (Then known as Gujarat Fortune Giants) in the final of the season at the JNI stadium in Chennai. Patna Pirates were something else in the late 2010s. They remain the only team to win the league 3 times and the only team to perform the feat for three seasons on a trot. The win against Gujarat was their third on a trot in the PKL final, which was simply incredible.

Patna dominated the game right from the word go. They gave no chance whatsoever to the Giants. Till that point, the defence of Giants was praised. But the pressure of the big match caught the Giants, as they underperformed. Pirated won the match by a huge margin of 55-38, which remains the highest-scoring game in a PKL final. Pardeep Narwal was the star of the show as he claimed raid points for fun. Surender Nada was the best defender of the season.

3. Bengal Warriors vs Dabang Delhi, Season 7

It was the final of the 7th edition of the league. Bengal Warriors were facing Dabang Delhi in the final of the season at The Arena in Ahmedabad. For the first time in the history of the league, Bengal Warriors ended up winning the Trophy. It was the clash between the two best sides of the tournament. Bengal won the final by a margin of 39-34, which had a lot of turn of events. Maninder Singh rose to the occasion and gave a brilliant performance as a raider.

Both the teams were playing their maiden PKL final. The match had two of the best raiders in the league Naveen Kumar and Maninder. the defense of the two sides were not that strong, but boy did they come good in the final. Fazel Atrachali was the best defender of the season. Pawan Sehrawat was the best raider of the season. Neither of them played in the final. BC Ramesh won the second title in a row as a manager. 

2. Bengaluru Bulls vs Gujarat Fortune Giants, Season 6

It was the final of the sixth season of the PKL. Gujarat Giants were up against Bengaluru Bulls in the final of the season at NSCI stadium in Mumbai. For the first time in the history of the league, Bengaluru Bulls ended up winning the Trophy. The match was a thrilling one and saw an incredible comeback from Bengaluru Bulls. The sound defence of Giants meant that they had contained the fury of Pawan and Rohit Kumar in the first half. 

Everything fell apart in the second half. Pawan was at his sensational best and singlehandedly brought the Bulls back into the game. The star raider claimed touchpoints and bonus points in each of his raids. Giants had no answer to what stuck to them. Sehrawat was brilliant in the second half. in the end, the Bulls registered a 38-33 win over the Giants who had the best defence in the season. Pawan Sehrawat was the best raider of the match and the season.

1. Patna Pirates vs Dabang Delhi, Season 8

It was the final of the 8th season of the league. Patna Pirates were up against Dabang Delhi in the final of the season at the Sheraton Grand Whitefield in Bengaluru. For the first time in the history of the league, Dabang Delhi ended up winning the Trophy. They did it against the best team of the tournament in the final. Coming to the game, Delhi were the underdogs, as Patna had everything it took to win the final. However, what transpired later was not expected by many.

The prowess of Shadloi Chianeh was stopped, as Delhi's raiders carefully overcame his threat. The defence of Delhi came good in the final when it mattered the most. Manjeet Chillar stepped up in the big match and held the defensive unit very well. Delhi ended up winning the thrilling final by a margin of 37-36. Pawan Sehrawat won the raider of the season for the third time in a row. Mohammadreza Shadloui Chianeh was the best defender of the season.