Final showdown between equals: Dabang Delhi KC Clash with Puneri Paltan for PKL

The grand finale of Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 promises a contest worthy of the occasion as Dabang Delhi KC take on Puneri Paltan at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium on Friday October 31 Itrsquos a clash that pits consistency against experience defensive discipline against attacking flair and two sides whorsquove been the leaguersquos standout performers all seasonThe journey to the final has been strikingly similar for both teams who finished in the top two on the points table Dabang Delhi the season 8 champions edged past Puneri Paltan in a dramatic 64 tiebreaker in Qualifier 1 after the scores were locked 34ndash34 in regulation time Led by captain Ashu Malik and coached by former Dabang Delhi skipper Joginder Narwal the capital side has shown remarkable grit in crunch moments ndash an attribute thatrsquos been their hallmark through the seasonPuneri Paltan meanwhile bounced back in style winning their Qualifier 2 clash against Telugu Titans to seal their third final appearance in four seasons Under Aslam Inamdarrsquos leadership and Ajay Thakurrsquos coaching prowess the Paltan have set the benchmark this season finishing atop the league table and boasting one of the most balanced squads in PKL 12 Their ability to rotate raiders and maintain defensive shape has made them a nightmare for opposition teamsBoth sides know each other inside out Theyrsquove faced off thrice this season ndash and all three duels went into the tiebreaker Each has tested the otherrsquos limits with Dabang Delhi relying on Ashu Malikrsquos explosive raids and the Paltan thriving on their cornersrsquo composure and synchronised tacklesFor Dabang Delhi the stakes couldnrsquot be higher With the final being played on home turf theyrsquoll look to draw energy from the crowd and lean on their experienced campaigners such as Fazel Atrachali Saurabh Nandal and Ashu Malik Their defensive unit has grown in confidence with every match while their ability to close out tight games has set them apart in knockout situationsPuneri Paltan on the other hand will aim to correct last seasonrsquos heartbreak Theyrsquove been the most consistent unit in PKL 12 ndash combining youth depth and discipline Their raiding department led by the young and fearless Aditya Shinde alongside Aslam Inamdar has complemented a rocksolid defence that thrives on teamwork rather than individual brillianceJoginder Narwal the Dabang Delhi KC head coach said his teamrsquos return to the final resulted from belief and togetherness ldquoIrsquom extremely proud of this group ndash wersquove grown together From the young players to the senior ones everyone has stepped up This isnrsquot about one individual itrsquos about the collective spirit The way theyrsquove fought through challenges and stayed united makes me believe this team deserves every bit of success it getsrdquo Narwal saidHead coach Ajay Thakur said the teamrsquos unity and discipline have been their biggest strengths ldquoWhen I took over as coach I knew the foundation had to be about togetherness You canrsquot build a champion side overnight ndash it takes time trust and discipline What Irsquom most proud of is how united these boys are their love for each other shows in how they play Wersquove shown all season that we belong at the top and now itrsquos about staying calm and giving it everything one last timerdquo said ThakurThe final much like their previous encounters is expected to be decided by the smallest of margins With both teams evenly matched and confident in their systems it may come down to who handles the pressure better in the dying minutesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever