Haryana Steelers are the current champions of PKL.
The Pro Kabaddi League, India’s second most popular franchise league, is getting ready for its 12th season this year. The first big event before each season is the player auction, where teams bid for players to strengthen their squads.
The PKL Season 12 auction is expected to happen in the last week of May. According to Khel Now, the auction is planned for May 23 and 24. All teams will compete to build a strong team for the upcoming season. This is exciting news for Kabaddi fans all over India.
In the last PKL season, Haryana Steelers won their first-ever title by beating Patna Pirates, who had won the championship three times before. The Steelers bounced back strongly after losing the 2023 final to Puneri Paltan. This time, they aim to keep most of their winning team together and make a few additions to strengthen their squad even more.
The PKL 12 organizers have released the player categorization list, which will guide teams on keeping their players. Now fans are waiting to see which players will be retained by their teams and which ones will be up for auction again this season.
Teams Aiming to Build Again
Bengaluru Bulls will need to do their homework carefully before the auction. They finished last in the standings and were the weakest team in the league last season. The Bulls will be eager to bounce back and build a strong team with the help of their new head coach, BC Ramesh.
Gujarat Giants, Bengal Warriorz, and Tamil Thalaivas will also want to forget the previous season and form a better team for the next one. After a tough season, PKL 10 champions Puneri Paltan will aim to return to their winning ways. Aslam Inamdar will be fit and is expected to lead the team again.
The Telugu Titans will need to find a way to reach the top six after missing out last season. They had a good team on paper, but didn’t perform well.
On the other hand, Dabang Delhi, UP Yoddhas, and Patna Pirates will need to make some changes to improve for the next season. U Mumba and Jaipur Pink Panthers will try to fix their inconsistency and play better.