Dabang Delhi, Puneri Paltan gear up for PKL season 12 showdown

The stage is set for a high-voltage finale as Dabang Delhi take on Puneri Paltan in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 12 title clash at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium here on Friday. The two best sides of the season will battle for supremacy in what promises to be a contest of nerve, strategy, and skill.

Both teams have charted remarkably similar journeys to the summit clash, dominating the league phase and finishing as the top two on the points table. Their consistency, composure, and balanced performances have made this an expected yet mouthwatering finale for kabaddi fans.

Dabang Delhi, the Season 8 champions, reached the final after edging past Puneri Paltan in a thrilling Qualifier 1, which went into a 6–4 tiebreaker after a 34–34 deadlock in regular time. The Delhi outfit, led by Ashu Malik and coached by former captain Joginder Narwal, have built their success around collective grit and the ability to perform under pressure. Their resilience in tight matches has been their biggest strength throughout the campaign.

For Delhi, the final carries added emotion: they'll play on home turf, buoyed by local fans eager to see their team lift the trophy once again. Key players like Fazel Atrachali, Saurabh Nandal, and Ashu Malik will have crucial roles in ensuring the team maintains its defensive solidity and attacking sharpness. Their defence, in particular, has improved steadily, peaking at just the right time.

Puneri Paltan, on the other hand, have been the most consistent unit this season. After finishing at the top of the league table, they shrugged off their Qualifier 1 loss with a commanding victory over Telugu Titans in Qualifier 2 to secure their third final appearance in four years.

Under captain Aslam Inamdar and coach Ajay Thakur, Pune have set a new benchmark for balance and discipline. Their seamless rotation of raiders and coordinated defensive setup have troubled every opponent this season. The Paltan’s young raiding duo of Aslam Inamdar and Aditya Shinde has been fearless, while their defenders have relied on precision and teamwork rather than individual brilliance.

The two teams have already faced each other three times this season, with every encounter going down to the wire all decided in tiebreakers. That history only heightens the excitement ahead of Friday’s showdown.

With Dabang Delhi aiming to reclaim the crown and Puneri Paltan determined to erase last year’s heartbreak, fans can expect a gripping finale worthy of concluding another unforgettable PKL season.