Hyderabad hosts historic PKL kickoff: the battle of breath takes centre stage as season 11 is set for a grand opening

The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) will make its much-awaited return to the mat on Friday, October 18. The Battle of Breath will kickstart with a thrilling opener where the Telugu Titans and the Bengaluru Bulls square off at the GMCB Indoor Stadium, Gachibowli in Hyderabad.

In anticipation of the new season, a grand launch was held at the Hyatt Place, at Banjara Hills, in Hyderabad. The event was graced by PKL League Commissioner & Head of Sports Leagues at Mashal Sports, Mr. Anupam Goswami, along with team captains Pawan Sehrawat (Telugu Titans) and Pardeep Narwal (Bengaluru Bulls). Captains of the remaining 10 teams were also present as they kicked off the PKL season.

One of the most exciting moments of the day was when an exhibition match was held featuring the PKL captains and a team of popular RJs and influencers, thanks to Meta. Some of the prominent influencers and RJs present at the match included the Big Nerds, Hardik Banga, Sidhant Sarfare, and Ashish Singh, amongst others, bringing a fresh and engaging dynamic to the sport.

Expressing his thoughts on the journey so far and the upcoming season, Mr. Anupam Goswami, League Commissioner, Pro Kabaddi League said, “The first decade of the PKL has been a huge achievement, but for us, the focus is on using the experiences to help prepare for the next phase, and further build on the success stories. The players have received a lot of support over the years. And one of the standout aspects is the confidence with which the players say they are kabaddi athletes. After helping rediscover a world-class Indian sport, the next phase of this important journey involves going to newer shores. There has been a significant amount of interest internationally for the PKL. We have always worked with a fan-first thought process, and we promise to be relentless in our approach towards that.”

Telugu Titans' captain, Pawan Sehrawat also shared his excitement for the opening match by saying, “I am very happy that we, Telugu Titans, will play the opening game of the season at Hyderabad in front of our home fans. The fans have always supported us a lot, and we are sure there will be more of the same when we walk onto the mat. The team is in a good place and we are confident of doing well.”

Bengaluru Bulls' captain, Pardeep Narwal was ready for the challenge that lies ahead as he returns to the team that gave him his PKL debut. Ahead of the opening match, he said, “Season 11 of the PKL will be huge and we are very excited to come into the tournament and we have prepared well throughout the pre-season for this. Our team is very well balanced and the Bulls are keen to start off with a bang.”

Preparations for PKL 11 began on a historic note as eight players were sold for over INR 1 crore in the auction held in Mumbai. After Pawan and Pardeep take to the mat on Friday, the second match of the night will see U Mumba's Sunil Kumar – the most expensive Indian defender in PKL history after being bought for INR 1.015 Crores – take on the attacking prowess of Naveen Kumar, who is among the star raiders for Dabang Delhi K.C.

This time around, PKL will be returning to a three-city format, with the 2024 edition commencing at the GMCB Indoor Stadium, Gachibowli in Hyderabad from October 18 to November 9. It will then move to the Noida Indoor Stadium for the second leg starting on November 10 till December 1. The third leg will begin at the Badminton Hall in the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune from December 3 to December 24.

As the PKL moves into Season 11, our commitment to putting fans first, both digitally and on-ground, remains stronger than ever. This season, we are thrilled to provide our superfans with once-in-a-lifetime experiences, a tradition we plan to build on in the future. Through immersive digital interventions and unforgettable in-stadia moments, we aim to create more memorable connections and make our fans an integral part of the PKL journey.

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