Ahmedabad, Dec 4 (IANS): Dressed in their inimitable yellow and blue uniform, the Tamil Thalaivas put in a splendid performance, opening their campaign in the landmark Season 10 of the Pro Kabaddi League with a 42-31 win against Dabang Delhi K.C. For the Tamil Thalaivas, the star of the night was Ajinkya Pawar, who scored 21 points.
Tamil Thalaivas' coach Ashan Kumar was understandably delighted, and he said, “This was our first game this season, and we wanted to ensure we start the 10th season of PKL well. It was good for us as a team that all our players stepped up when required and produced the kind of performance that we needed. I am very happy about that.”
On the night, it was Ajinkya Pawar who stole the limelight with a clinical performance on the mat.
Speaking about his outing, Pawar said, “We were keen to play with confidence and initiative, just like our coach asked us. After the match, our coach congratulated me, but also told me that I have to keep up the good work and also keep improving as the season goes on.”
Ashan Kumar further added that the team has faith in the younger players in the squad, saying, “We have a few young players in the squad. And I have worked with my players in a way that I can address their strengths and weaknesses, and the technical side of things."
"For me, it is important to look at our abilities before we look at which opposition has what line-up. There was no additional pressure on our side and the players were happy, which was reflected in our game,” he said.
The Gujarat Giants, who are captained by the legendary Fazel Atrachali and coached by the astute tactician Ram Mehar Singh, will be in action for their third game of the season, and they will play U Mumba, in what is the only game of the day.
The Giants have been on a roll, registering two wins in as many games, with Sonu Jaglan leading the charge, bagging 23 points in the two games. On the other hand, U Mumba has also begun their tournament quite well, picking up an important win against the U.P. Yoddhas, with Amirmohammad Zafardanesh, Rinku, and Guman Singh being among their top performers.