Stage set for PKL playoffs in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD: The stage is all set for Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season-7 playoffs to be held in Ahmedabad. On Monday, UP Yoddha will clash with defending champions Bengaluru Bulls in the first eliminator followed by U Mumba taking on Haryana Steelers in the second encounter.
The two winners will move to the semifinals to be played on Wednesday. Dabang Delhi and Bengal Warriors have already qualified for last four by virtue of being the top two teams in the league stage.
After the Ahmedabad-leg of PKL, which was played two months ago, aficionados will once again hope to see more thrilling action as the fight intensifies further. Gujarat Fortunegiants' not qualifying for the playoffs is of course a big jolt to the local fans, yet the enthusiasm to see the top stars of the game in their own backyard is there.
The UP Yoddha-Bengaluru Bulls contest promises to be a keen tussle. "We have won both our league matches against the Bulls which gives us confidence. We are prepared to produce our best against the defending champions," said Yoddha skipper Nitesh Kumar, on the eve of their playoff encounter. "I also know that we have a very formidable defence unit, yet that may not be enough to win matches and the raiders too will have to garner more points,'' he added.
On the other hand, the Bulls' star raider Pawan Sehrawat too was optimistic about his team's performance. "Now that we are in the knock-out situation, we will have to play to our strength. We will play to our strategy against Yoddha, who have a very strong defensive line-up,'' said Pawan, who dazzled for Bulls in Season 6 final against Gujarat Fortunegiants, and took the game away single-handedly for the southern outfit.
The second eliminator of the evening also looks to be a cracker of a match with U Mumba facing Haryana Steelers. U Mumba captain Fazel Atrachali sounded optimistic on the eve of their all-important encounter. "We are ready for the challenge. We will give our 100 per cent and try to win the match," said the Iranian.
Playoffs schedule (Monday): Eliminator 1: UP Yoddha vs Bengaluru Bulls (7.30 pm); Eliminator 2: U Mumba vs Haryana Steelers. (8.30 pm).