Hyderabad, Nov 4 (IANS): Bengal Warriorz captain Fazel Atrachali shared a heartfelt message for his teammate and star raider Maninder Singh, following their impressive 40-38 win over the Haryana Steelers on Sunday.

Maninder scored 12 points and led his team’s attack from the front, complementing the defensive unit led by the skipper Fazel. Speaking after the match, the Iranian remarked, “What sets Maninder apart is his commitment. In my decade-long experience, I've seen many experienced players try to skip practice, but not him. He puts in more effort than anyone else, and is always giving his 100% in the gym, in training, and in matches.”

The Iranian defender also emphasised how rare it is to see players maintain such longevity. “We see many young players, even 20-year-olds, who come for a year or two and then disappear. But Maninder's consistency is a result of his relentless hard work and fitness regimen.”

Reflecting on their recent performance, Fazel expressed satisfaction with the team's growing cohesion. “Our combination is improving with each match. We have several strong players like Maninder, Sushil (Kambrekar) and Nitin, and everyone contributes in different games - that's what makes us effective as a unit.”

Looking ahead to their upcoming match against Dabang Delhi K.C., Atrachali remained cautiously optimistic. "This victory has boosted our confidence, but we know every match is different. We'll continue our hard work in practice, and if we play to our potential, we can achieve a positive result."

The first match on Tuesday will see Jaipur Pink Panthers and UP Yoddhas face off against each other with the hopes of returning to winning ways. All eyes will be on the likes of Bhavani Rajput for UP Yoddhas, with the raider in good touch for his side. Meanwhile, Arjun Deshwal will expect more support from his fellow raiders and defenders to end their three-match winless streak.