Kolkata, 22nd November, 2023: The much-awaited 10th season of the Pro Kabaddi League is around the corner, and former champions Bengal Warriors are keen to make it a sensational one. With that in mind, the Bengal Warriors have named the ace raider Maninder Singh as their captain for the upcoming season, which begins on 2nd December, in Ahmedabad.
Maninder, who has been with the Bengal Warriors since 2017, had captained the team to their maiden Pro Kabaddi League title in 2019. Ahead of Season 10 of the PKL, Bengal Warriors reacquired Maninder via the Final Bid Match option at the Player Auction for INR 2.12 Crores, which made him the third highest player in the league.
The 33-year-old raider has been one of the most impressive players for the Bengal Warriors, who will be hoping that the PKL returning to the caravan will help boost their performances. Earlier, in Season 9, Maninder became the second most prolific raider in the history of the PKL, as he went past the 1000-point mark in the Warriors’ opening game against the Haryana Steelers.
“I couldn’t have been happier that Bengal Warriors have got me back in the set-up. I am honoured to be back with this team and being named as the captain as well. This is a big responsibility, one which I intend to fulfil with all my might. This is a special season and I cannot wait to be back on the mat and in front our fans. This year we have new owners and management in Capri Sports, and they have been very supportive from the start,” said Maninder Singh.
Maninder is one of the best raiders PKL has seen, and he is a delight to work with. He has been a key player for Bengal Warriors in the past, and he will surely play a critical role this year as well, both as a captain and as a raider as we aspire to lift the trophy for the 2nd time. The younger players can learn a lot from him and his experience will surely help the team during the course of the tournament,” said coach K. Baskaran.
The Bengal Warriors will open their campaign for the 10th season of the PKL against the Bengaluru Bulls on 4th December in Ahmedabad at The Arena by TransStadia. The PKL travels to Bengal in February with the team Gujarat Giants (9 February), Telugu Titans (10 February), U Mumba (12 February) and Puneri Paltan (14 February).
“Maninder Singh is one of the strongest Kabaddi players in the country, and we could not be happier about the fact that he will be the captain of the Bengal Warriors. His leadership qualities are unapparelled and we are confident that he will lead by example,” said Apurv Gupta, Senior Vice-President, Contact Sports.
