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The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 11 concluded on Sunday, December 29 as Haryana Steelers defeated Patna Pirates 32-23 in a captivating final to clinch their maiden title at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune.
After another enthralling season, some of the coaches of Pro Kabaddi Season 11 grabbed the limelight with their man-management skills, tactical acumen, selecting the right personnel, substitutes, and combinations and also by extracting top performances from their players.
However, at the end of the day, a coach is judged by how much success he brings to his team. With that in mind, we take a look at the best coaches from the recently concluded Pro Kabaddi Season 11.
Manpreet Singh - Haryana Steelers
Manpreet Singh guided the Haryana Steelers to their maiden PKL title in the recently concluded season after having lost three finals as a coach previously. Under his tutelage, the Steelers finished runners-up in Season 10 before they lost to Puneri Paltan in the summit clash. Considered to be one of the best Kabaddi coaches in the country, Manpreet earlier led Gujarat Giants to runners-up finishes in Season 5 and 6. Interestingly, the former Indian all-rounder won the PKL title as a player with Patna Pirates.
Joginder Narwal - Dabang Delhi K.C.
A former Pro Kabaddi champion as captain with Dabang Delhi K.C., Joginder Narwal was promoted from assistant coach to head coach ahead of Pro Kabaddi Season 11. The former defender showcased his coaching prowess as Dabang Delhi K.C. were one of the most dominant teams this season. Under his guidance, Dabang Delhi K.C. scripted history with a 15-match unbeaten streak, including 11 victories and four ties to finish second in the Pro Kabaddi Season 11 standings with 81 points from 22 matches. However, their title hopes came to a heartbreaking end as Patna Pirates ended their magnificent run with a 32-28 win in the semi-finals.
Narender Kumar Redhu - Patna Pirates
Narender Kumar Redhu, one of the most promising young coaches, showcased once again why he is so highly rated in the Indian kabaddi circuit. Ahead of the Pro Kabaddi Season 11, the Narender Redhu-coached Patna Pirates assembled a talented young squad without signing any big names in the auction. Under his management, Patna Pirates qualified comfortably for the Playoffs after they finished fourth in the standings with 77 points from 22 matches. The three-time PKL champions defeated U Mumba in the Eliminator and later knocked out in-form Dabang Delhi K.C. in the semi-finals to storm into their fifth PKL final. Despite missing out on a record-extending fourth PKL title, Narender’s men produced another memorable campaign for the franchise.
Jasveer Singh - UP Yoddhas
The Jasveer Singh-coached UP Yoddhas have been one of the most consistent teams in Pro Kabaddi’s history despite finishing 11th last season. Since 2017, the Uttar Pradesh-based outfit qualified for the Playoffs in every season until the 2023-24 season. Under Jasveer Singh’s coaching, UP Yoddhas showcased their title credentials in PKL 11 with their scintillating performances. Having registered 13 wins, three ties and just six losses, Jasveer’s men finished third in the Pro Kabaddi Season 11 standings with 79 points from 22 matches to qualify for the Playoffs for the sixth time in seven seasons. While UP Yoddhas thrashed Jaipur Pink Panthers in the Eliminator, they lost to eventual champion Haryana Steelers in the semi-finals.
Gholamreza Mazandarani - U Mumba
Best known for guiding the Iran kabaddi team to gold in the 2018 Asian Games, head coach Gholamreza Mazandarani helped U Mumba qualify for the PKL 11 Playoffs after three seasons. Under his guidance, U Mumba secured the final Playoffs spot to finish fifth in the Pro Kabaddi Season 11 standings with 12 wins, two ties and eight losses. However, U Mumba’s impressive campaign came to an end as Mazandarani’s men lost to Patna Pirates in the Eliminator. Currently, in his second stint with the Mumbai-based franchise, Mazandarani earlier led U Mumba to the Playoffs in Season 6 as head coach.
Previously, the “Lion of Iran” also worked with the Telugu Titans in Season 7 and is also the current head coach of Iran's national team.
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