U.P. Yoddha vs Bengal Warriors, Pro Kabaddi (PKL), Today Match Prediction

upy vs bw Match Prediction & Analysis

UP Yoddhas lock horns against the Bengal Warriors in the 108th match of Pro Kabaddi Season 11 on Thursday, 12th December 2024. The match at Badminton Hall in Balewadi Sports Complex, Pune. As the Yoddhas look to secure their spot in the top four, the Warriors aim for a finish in the top six as the battle for the playoff's begin.  

UP Yoddhas are coming off a 36-33, three-point win over Puneri Paltan in their last match, on the flip side, the Bengal Warriors are coming off a 44-29, 15 point win over the Bengaluru Bulls in their last outing. The Yoddhas currently stand at 4th spot on the PKL season 11 points table with 56 points in 17 matches (9 wins, 6 losses & 2 ties), meanwhile the Bengal Warriors are at 10th spot with 37 points in 17 matches (5 wins, 10 losses & 2 ties). 

In their head-to-head history, the Bengal Warriors have a slight advantage over the UP Yoddhas, winning 6 out of 15 matches. The Yoddhas have won 4 matches, and five matches have ended in ties. The Warriors have won two of the last three head-to-head encounters, including their most recent clash, which resulted in a 32-29 victory earlier in the season. 

U.P. Yoddha vs Bengal Warriors Over/Under Predictions

TEAMS PREVIEW

U.P. Yoddha Preview

UP Yoddhas have made a significant turnaround in their last 10 games, losing only two, tying two, and winning six. This turnaround comes after a bit of a slump towards the end of the Hyderabad leg and the beginning of the Noida leg. They have finally found the right raiding combination with Bhavani Rajput leading the charge and Gagan Gowda being the enforcer. Both these tall raiders have taken over the raiding duties from Bharat Hooda and Surender Gill, who can also be equally destructive when they get going.

Gagan Gowda has scored 15, 13, 15, 6, and 8 raid points in his last five outings, while Bhavani Rajput is averaging 6 raid points per game. Bharat Hooda has stepped back and has been equally effective as a third raider. This trio of raiders has powered the Yoddhas to a commanding position. On the defensive end, Sumit Sangwan has looked a bit sloppy going in for advanced tackles during crunch moments. However, on the right side of the defense, Hitesh has been excellent, scoring 49 tackle points. The cover combination of Ashu Singh and Mahender Singh is peaking at the right time.

The Yoddhas raiders will face a really tough challenge against an in-form Fazel Atrachali, who has taken care of all the top raiders this season. If they can lure Fazel in and keep him off the court, then the Yoddhas have the best chance of clinching the game and solidifying their position in the top four.

The Yoddhas is averaging 34.88 points per game and conceding 32.70 points. Their raiding unit, the third-best in the league, averages 20.24 raid points per game, while their defense averages 10.59 tackle points per game. Bhavani Rajput with 99 raid points and Sumit Sangwan with 53 tackle points are the top performer's for the Yoddhas in the season. 

UP Yoddhas Probable Starting 7 - Gagan Gowda, Bharat Hooda, Bhavani Rajput, Sumit Sangwan, Hitesh, Ashu Singh, Mahender Singh

U.P. Yoddha Over/Under Predictions

Bengal Warriors Preview

Bengal Warriors, who have had an inconsistent season, have racked up two wins in their last five games. However, the three losses against the Telugu Titans, Patna Pirates, and Gujarat Giants, all by a margin of 2-3 points, haven't really helped them. In their last outing, the Warriors managed to pull off a 15-point win over the Bengaluru Bulls, with the final scoreline being 44-29.

This was one of the rare high-scoring games for the Warriors this season, even without their two main lead raiders, Maninder Singh and Nitin Kumar Dhankar. Vishwas S stepped up with 13 raid points (11 touch and 1 bonus) and also scored one tackle point. Pranay Rane, with 9 raid points, was equally impressive. On the defensive end, Nitesh Kumar and Fazel Atrachali picked up seven tackle points each.

With five games left in the season, the Warriors can reach up to 62 points. However, they will need other teams' results to go their way, especially if the Jaipur Pink Panthers, Telugu Titans, and Puneri Paltan lose their next three games and the Warriors win their remaining five. Only then will they qualify for the playoffs. To achieve this, they will have to go on a dream five-match run, and a lot will depend on the corner duo of Nitesh and Fazel on the defensive end and at least 20 points per game from their raiders.

The Warriors this season, on average, score 33.06 points and concede 37.05 points per game. Their raiding unit is averaging 19.94 raid points per game, the fifth-best this season, and their defense is averaging 10.76 tackle points per game, ranked 10th. Nitin Dhankar, with 118 raid points, and Fazel Atrachali, with 52 tackle points, are the top performers for the Warriors in the season so far.

Bengal Warriors Probable Starting 7 - Pranay Rane, Maninder Singh, Mayur Kadam, Fazel Atrachali, Nitesh Kumar, Manjeet, Siddesh Tatkare

Bengal Warriors Over/Under Predictions