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The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) will return with its 12th season on August 29 with the opening game between Telugu Titans and Tamil Thalaivas at the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Vizag. Both sides have never won the coveted trophy but this time, they will look to be at their best and to break into the record books as champions. In the past, both teams have delivered some intriguing matches to kabaddi fans and the league’s supporters will want them to do the same again.
Tamil Thalaivas will be led by Pawan Sehrawat while Vijay Malik will captain Telugu Titans. The two sides include some quality players and noting the squads of both teams, let’s have a look at the three players who will be expected to take charge in the opening match with their performances.
Here are three players to watch out for in PKL 2025 opening game
3. Moein Shafaghi
Iran all-rounder Moein Shafaghi was retained by Tamil Thalaivas for the 2025 season and he will look to be at his best in this tournament. Discussing his previous year’s record, he played 14 games and racked up 113 points. His raid strike rate was 54% while the tackle strike rate was 36%. He has performed a total number of 191 raids in PKL and achieved success in 82. He has also attempted 28 tackles and became successful on 10 occasions.
2. Vijay Malik
Telugu Titans have trusted all-rounder Vijay Malik’s leadership prowess for the competition. He was bought for INR 51.5 lakhs by Telugu Titans and his role will be to utilise his vast experience to help his side quench their thirst for the title. Malik has played 132 matches in which he has gained 673 points. In his PKL career, he has also performed 1148 raids and records the success rate of 50.6%. As a defender, he has achieved 92 tackle points after 259 attempts.
1. Pawan Sehrawat
Pawan Sehrawat is one of the renowned names in the Pro Kabaddi League. He became part of Thalaivas for just INR 59.5 lakhs. In the last season, he was a crucial member of Telugu Titans but this time, he will endeavour to lead Thalaivas from the front to get the better of his old side. Sehrawat’s experience is massive in PKL and his record is exceptional. He holds the third spot on the list of players with most raid points. In 139 outings, he has accumulated 1318 points. Discussing his tackle numbers, he has got 70 points after eight attempts.
