PKL 12 Delivers Thrills, Records and Golden Raids
PKL 12 delivers the most competitive Pro Kabaddi League season yet, with golden raids, tie-breakers, and edge-of-the-seat finishes defining an unforgettable campaign. In a thrilling finale at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium, Dabang Delhi K.C. defeated Puneri Paltan 31-28, becoming the first side since U Mumba (Season 2) to win the title on home turf.
PKL 12 – Every Point Counted
Season 12 rewrote kabaddi history. Nearly half of the 117 matches (53 games, 45%) were decided by five points or fewer, and 14 clashes reached tie-breakers or last-raid drama. Fans witnessed 20+ raid-point hauls in a record 20 games, while nine different teams beat top-four opponents during the league stage. Eight matches saw comebacks of 10 points or more — including Patna Pirates’ 12-point turnaround vs Dabang Delhi (Match 43) — and the league’s first-ever Golden Raid came in Delhi’s clash with Puneri (Match 14).
Stellar Performers and Record Breakers
Star raider Ayan Lohchab (Patna Pirates) topped the charts with 316 raid points, only the fifth player ever to surpass 300 in a single PKL season. Rising star Devank became the fastest to 500 career raid points (43 matches) and 200 in a season. Coach Manpreet Singh logged his 100th PKL win — a league first — while Fazel Atrachali reached 550 career tackle points and earned the MVP award. Iran’s Alireza Mirzaian (197 raid points) and Ali Samadi (22-point match vs Puneri) set new foreign records.
Milestones and Historic Moments
Telugu Titans achieved their first five-match winning streak; Haryana Steelers endured their first five-match losing run — showing how balanced the competition has become. Puneri Paltan vs Jaipur (Match 86) produced the season’s fastest ALL OUT in 2 minutes 53 seconds, while Patna Pirates vs Delhi (Match 105) set the biggest winning margin (35 points). Both Bengaluru Bulls and Dabang Delhi notched their 100th victory, joining an elite six-team club. Notably, the number of international players crossing 100 points doubled year-on-year — proof of kabaddi’s global growth.
Dabang Delhi: Composed Champions
Led by captain Ashu Malik and defensive stalwart Fazel Atrachali, Dabang Delhi’s championship run was built on clarity, depth and calm under pressure. Even when Ashu was injured, Delhi showed adaptability and trust across its raiding and defensive units. Coach Joginder Narwal, who previously won as a player (Season 8), became only the second man to win as both player and coach.
Captain Ashu Malik reflected: “This season pushed us to our limits. We had to trust each other and fight till the last raid. Lifting the trophy at home is special — this belongs to our fans.” Opposing captain Aslam Inamdar added: “It was a hard-fought season — every match was a battle. We’ll come back stronger.”
Season 12 of the Pro Kabaddi League will be remembered for its drama, records and resilience — a season where every raid truly counted.
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