PKL Winners list: Champions from each season of the league

PKL 2021 is upon us and is all set to be back with its eighth edition on 22nd December. The tournament has been on an upward scale since its inception and has now become a household sport. We have witnessed several exciting performances over the years and have started following a certain player or a team.

The PKL in its seven editions has seen five different teams lifting the title. So on that note, let’s take a look at the list of champions from each season of PKL.

Season 1 – Jaipur Pink Panthers

The Jaipur Pink Panthers etched their name in the record books by lifting the first-ever PKL title by defeating U Mumba in the finals. Both the teams also met each other in the opening game of the season where the Mumbai-based franchise emerged out on top. However, the Panthers were a better side on the night of the finals as they crushed U Mumbai 35-24 to lay their hands on the title.

Maninder Singh was the star raider for the Panthers in season 1 scoring 130 raid points to finish at the third position in the list of raiders with the most points. Whereas, Rohit Rana was performed extremely well in the defense. The left cover managed was the heart of the defense and managed to collect 38 tackle points in the competition.

Season 2 – U Mumba

After suffering heartbreak in the finals of season 1, U Mumba went one step ahead in the following season to lift the PKL title. They performed brilliantly throughout the competition especially in defense as they registered 196 tackle points which were the most by any team in season 2.

They were up against Bengaluru Bulls in the finals which turned out to be a nail-biting and hard-fought one. The Anup Kumar-led side, however, held their nerves and claimed a 36-30 victory. Mohit Chillar was the key player for them registering 42 tackle points which included three high 5s.

Season 3 – Patna Pirates

Season 3 saw U Mumba reach the finals for the third consecutive time in an attempt to defend their title against the first-time finalists Patna Pirates. The Mumbai-based franchise were the clear favourites to win the match but the Pirates had other plans as they emerged victorious with a close 31-28 win courtesy of Rohit Kumar who scored seven points in the finals.

This season saw the rise of Pardeep Narwal, who ended the tournament with 116 raid points. Also, all-rounder, Sandeep Narwal was a vital cog for the Pirates as he collected 55 tackle points along with some handy contributions with his raiding.

Season 4 – Patna Pirates

Defending champions Patna Pirates made it to the finals once again in season four courtesy of brilliant all-round team performance. The Pirates were dominant throughout the tournament and became the first team to win two consecutive PKL titles.

They were up against the inaugural champions Jaipur Pink Panthers in a high-intensity match. Pardeep was outstanding on the night of the finals as he collected 16 points to see the Pirates cruise to a comfortable 37-29 win over the Panthers. He was the top raider of the season with 133 points to his name backed by Iranian defender Fazel Atrachali in the defense who bagged 45 tackle points.

Season 5 – Patna Pirates

Patna Pirates became invincible by season five as they did something unimaginable by lifting the PKL trophy for the third consecutive time. This season saw Pardeep Narwal become a PKL great as he shattered numerous records and carried his side to the title single-handedly. Pardeep collected 369 points in the season which included an eight-point raid, 18 super raids, and 19 super 10s.

He was given a lending hand in the defense by Jaideep who also performed well by bagging 71 tackle points. The Pirates were engaged in a one-sided affair in the finals against the newcomers Gujrat Fortune Giants as the former came out on top with a 55-38 victory.

Season 6 – Bengaluru Bulls

Patna Pirates’ winning streak finally came to an end in season 6 when we saw a new team laying their hands on the prestigious PKL title. This time it was the season 2 runner-ups Bengaluru Bulls who claimed their first-ever PKL trophy. They were facing Gujrat Fortunegiants in the finals which turned out to be a thrilling one where the Bulls came out on top with a 38-33 win thanks to an exceptional performance by Pawan Sehrawat who collected 22 points in the match.

Sehrawat was brilliant throughout the season registering 282 points to claim the MVP award. The Bulls will also be thankful to Mahender Singh who led the defensive attack by collecting 63 tackle points.

Season 7 – Bengal Warriors

Bengal Warriors are the most recent PKL champions as they claimed their maiden PKL title when they defeated Dabang Delhi KC in the season 7 finals. Delhi were the most balanced team last season and rode on the back of Naveen Kumar. However, the Warriors were better in the finals as they halted Delhi and Naveen to win the game 39-34.

Maninder Singh led from the front by collecting 205 raid points and was supported by Baldev Singh who scored 66 tackle points.

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