<p>Pro Kabaddi League is undoubtedly one of the most popular sporting leagues in the world right now. Conceptualized on the lines of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the tournament has managed to garner huge audiences over the last four seasons. IPL was a breakthrough innovation that not only popularised the game of cricket in India&nbsp;but also helped the domestic talent to showcase their abilities on the big stage.</p>
<p>The IPL, first played in 2008, is the pioneer league when it comes to T20 cricket. The tournament has been a huge success and other countries have come up with their T20 leagues, following the success of the IPL. Running on footsteps of the IPL, different leagues have emerged in the past few years – the Hockey India League, the Pro Badminton League, Indian Super League (ISL) and many more.</p>
<p>Needless to cite, Pro Kabaddi has been one of the most prominent among them all. The league has ensured that cricket does not remain the only sport for the nation of a billion. The tournament is an 8-City team event, similar to that in the IPL, and was first played in 2014. So how closely are the participating teams of the two most popular leagues of India related? Here we draw comparisons between the teams featuring in Pro Kabaddi League and the IPL:</p>
<h4><strong>1. Chennai Super Kings –&nbsp;Patna Pirates:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_14599" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-14599" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/03/CSK-Chennai-Super-Kings.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-14599"><amp-img class="wp-image-14599" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/CSK-Chennai-Super-Kings.jpg" alt="CSK" width="700" height="468" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-14599" class="wp-caption-text">CSK has scored 12 times a score of 200+ in IPL.(Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is undoubtedly the most successful IPL team when it comes to consistency. Having made it to the play-off stage in all the first 8 editions of the IPL where they participated, CSK has&nbsp;been ably led by skipper MS Dhoni. Chennai won the IPL championship for two consecutive years in 2010 and 2011. The fact that has taken them far in all the editions is that they play equally well in both home and away.</p>
<p>Patna Pirates have done something similar in the Pro Kabaddi League. They have been consistent and up to the mark across all four seasons of the tournament. They finished on the 4th spot in the first two seasons and were the champions in the 3rd season that took place earlier this year. Their USP lies in their attacking gameplay, as was evident when they had 241 successful raids in their title campaign – the most by any team.</p>
<p>Pardeep Narwal has been the stalwart for them and was the most successful raider in the 2016 edition. Just like CSK found MS Dhoni, the Pirates have Dharmaraj Cheralathan taking effective calls on the field. The link that connects Patna Pirates and Chennai Super Kings is the consistency factor.</p>
<h5><strong>Also read –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.crictracker.com/ipl-teams-and-their-epl-counterparts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL teams and their EPL counterparts</a></strong></h5>
<p></p>
<h4><strong>2. Royal Challengers Bangalore – Telugu Titans:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_69217" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-69217" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-6.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-69217"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-69217" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-6.jpg" alt="Royal Challengers Bangalore" width="600" height="375" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-69217" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Telugu Titans share mixed emotions. RCB, despite having some of the biggest names like Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Shane Watson, has fallen short marginally towards the end on most occasions. They played splendid cricket throughout the season but lost the finals this year.</p>
<p>The Titans have similar crisis. They have the likes of Rahul Chaudhari and Sandeep Narwal, two of the best in the business, in their line-up. They found themselves at the 5th position in the inaugural edition, as well as in the third edition. In the second edition, their best shot at winning, they lost the crucial semifinals. Choking in the crunch games and getting into the shell under pressure is what the two teams have paid for.</p>
<p>Virat Kohli has been a&nbsp;magnificent leader for RCB and plundered in excess of 950 runs in a single season this year. The Telugu Titans have Rahul Chaudhari as their leader, who has consistently performed well on the personal front. With 364 successful raids in his career, the 23-year-oldd holds the key to success for the Titans.</p>
<h4><strong>3. Delhi Daredevils – Dabang Delhi:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_68521" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68521" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Delhi-Daredevils.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-68521"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-68521" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Daredevils.jpg" alt="Delhi Daredevils IPL 9" width="600" height="424" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-68521" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Daredevils. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Delhi franchises in both the tournaments have underperformed until now. There is no dearth of talent in either of the two teams, but somehow they have failed to get their act together as a team. Dabang Delhi won just 10 out of their 42 matches played prior to the commencement of the 4th season. Delhi Daredevils, too, has made it to the playoffs only thrice in the 9 editions that they have been a part of.</p>
<p>Yet another similarity between the two teams can be noticed in the amount of young talent that they have. Not just the domestic young talent but also the overseas youngsters. The Daredevils have surely honed the young South African Quinton de Kock and helped him emerge as a versatile player. Sam Billings, the English wicketkeeper, and Carlos Brathwaite are the other youngsters who have benefited with their stint at the Delhi Daredevils camp.</p>
<p>Dabang Delhi have roped in the services of Iranian defender Hadi Tajik and Thai all-rounder Phonchoo Tim this season. The teams might have surely underperformed, but their policy of promoting the youngsters has been lauded.</p>
<h5><strong>Also check out –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.crictracker.com/9-cricketers-and-their-super-hero-cousins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9 Cricketers and their Super Hero Cousins</a></strong></h5>
<p></p>
<h4><strong>4. Rajasthan Royals – Jaipur Pink Panthers:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_18654" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-18654" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/05/RR-win-vs-KKR.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-18654"><amp-img class="wp-image-18654" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/RR-win-vs-KKR.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals 2015" width="700" height="447" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18654" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals 2015. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Jaipur Pink Panthers and Rajasthan Royals have had a&nbsp;similar fate in their respective tournament histories. Both the teams have been a victim of too many experiments and have seen a slump in form after initial success.</p>
<p>The Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural edition of the IPL and the Panthers lifted the silverware in the inaugural edition of the Pro Kabaddi League. Royals then struggled to make it to the playoffs frequently and their inconsistency didn’t serve the cause of their dwindling fortunes. The Panthers, too, finished at the 5th and 6th spot respectively in the 2015 and 2016 (January) edition.</p>
<p>However, as they say, form is temporary and class is permanent. The adage seems to work well for both the sides. Royals turned the tables in the previous two editions of IPL and came up with spirited performances. Jaipur Pink Panthers have also cashed on the opportunity this season and are currently placed in the top 4 of the points table.</p>
<h4><strong>5. Kings XI Punjab – Puneri Paltan:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_67307" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-67307" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Kings-XI-Punjab-3.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-67307"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-67307" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Kings-XI-Punjab-3.jpg" alt="Kings XI Punjab IPL 2016" width="600" height="405" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-67307" class="wp-caption-text">Kings XI Punjab. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As most of the experts have been saying this season, Puneri Paltan has got a good base, a good set of raiders,&nbsp;a bunch of healthy defenders but have suffered due to their leadership issues. Puneri Paltan had 11 wins to their kitty prior to the 2016 (July) edition of the Pro Kabaddi League. They finished at the bottom most position in the first two editions of the tournament.</p>
<p>However, they came back good in the 3rd season and finished at the 3rd position earlier this year. Just when things looked set for the Puneri Paltan, they succumbed to a string of defeats in the 4th season. Similar has been the case for the Kings XI Punjab. They have had a roller coaster ride in the IPL history so far. KXIP looked threatening in the first couple of seasons but then lost their plot. They were herculean in the 2014 edition and made it to the finals.</p>
<p>However, they ended up being the wooden spoon holders in the next two seasons. Leadership issues and frequent drafting in and out of players have cost them dearly. The Paltan has also suffered for the same reason and this is evident from their stat of just 37 percent of successful tackles.</p>
<h4><strong>6. Kolkata Knight Riders – Bengaluru Bulls:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_67489" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-67489" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Kolkata-Knight-Riders-1.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-67489"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-67489" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Kolkata-Knight-Riders-1.jpg" alt="Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 9" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-67489" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Kolkata Knight Riders are the two-time IPL champions, having won the tournament in 2012 and 2014. They are a strong side on paper and their forte lies in teamwork. On most occasions, everybody in the team has been chipping in to contribute and Gautam Gambhir has been a steady rock at the captaincy slot. With no such big names to boast about, they have always been a team to beat.</p>
<p>The case is no different with Bengaluru Bulls, and they have relied on teamwork rather than individual brilliance. They finished at the 3rd spot in the first edition of the PKL and were the runner-up in the 2nd season. They failed to make it to the top 4 in the season that followed and have been struggling in the current season as well. This could be attributed to their poor successful raid rate, which is as low as 28 percent.</p>
<p>One could surely relate this to KKR, who were the champions in 2014, but failed to make it to the playoffs in 2016 edition. Both the teams have stalwarts of the game as mentors. KKR is mentored by the legendary pace bowler Wasim Akram and BB are coached by Randhir Singh, an Arjuna awardee.</p>
<h5><strong>Also read –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.crictracker.com/top-10-surprise-packages-ipl-2016/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Top 10 surprise packages of IPL 2016</a></strong></h5>
<p></p>
<h4><strong>7. Sunrisers Hyderabad – Bengal Warriors: </strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_70036" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-70036" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/04/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-2.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-70036"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-70036" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-2.jpg" alt="IPL" width="600" height="373" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-70036" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Bengal Warriors and Sunrisers Hyderabad are definitely closely related for the fact that they have been the dark horses of their respective tournaments so far. Their performances have been highly unpredictable. The Sunrisers surprised everyone when they emerged as the IPL champions this season.</p>
<p>The Bengal Warriors, too, were the surprise element in the 3rd season held earlier this year. With 9 wins in 14 matches, they ended up at the 4th spot. However, their experience in the first two seasons wasn’t fruitful. They finished at 7th and 6th spot respectively. SRH also have had similar fortunes, finishing at the 6th spot in the 2014 and 2015 editions.</p>
<p>The striking similarity between the two sides is their dependence on overseas brilliance. Aussie opener David Warner almost singlehandedly won most of the matches for Sunrisers this year and ended up as the second-leading run-getter of the season. Warriors, too, have a&nbsp;heavy reliance on their Korean import Jang Kun Lee, who has been one of the leading raiders of the tournament. With 527 raids to his name, Lee has been a storming force for the Warriors.</p>
<h4><strong>8. Mumbai Indians – U-Mumba:&nbsp; </strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_67752" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-67752" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Mumbai-Indians-1.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-67752"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-67752" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Mumbai-Indians-1.jpg" alt="Mumbai Indians IPL 9" width="600" height="405" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-67752" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The very first similarity between these two sides is their fan base. Arguably the most fancied teams of PKL and IPL, both U-Mumba and Mumbai Indians have lived up to the heavy expectations of their fans. Both the sides have been consistent and have come up against odds on most occasions to end up among the top sides.</p>
<p>The Mumbai Indians made a spectacular comeback in the IPL last year to win the tournament after losing their first five matches. They have been rescued by individual brilliance many a times. Some or the other player has often stood up when needed and bailed the team out of trouble. No wonder, MI has won the IPL twice. U-Mumba also has&nbsp;been juggernauts of Pro Kabaddi League, with just 7 defeats in 42 matches in the first 3 seasons.</p>
<p>Both the teams are backed by the B-town celebs and U-Mumba is in fact owned by Ronnie Screwvala. U-Mumba finished as the runner-up in the first and the third season of the tournament. They were the winners of the 2nd season in 2015 and are now looking good for their second title in the 4th edition of the PKL.</p>
<h5><strong>Also read –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.crictracker.com/ipl-teams-and-their-international-twins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL teams and their International twins</a></strong></h5>

<p>Pro Kabaddi League is undoubtedly one of the most popular sporting leagues in the world right now. Conceptualized on the lines of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the tournament has managed to garner huge audiences over the last four seasons. IPL was a breakthrough innovation that not only popularised the game of cricket in India&nbsp;but also helped the domestic talent to showcase their abilities on the big stage.</p>
<p>The IPL, first played in 2008, is the pioneer league when it comes to T20 cricket. The tournament has been a huge success and other countries have come up with their T20 leagues, following the success of the IPL. Running on footsteps of the IPL, different leagues have emerged in the past few years – the Hockey India League, the Pro Badminton League, Indian Super League (ISL) and many more.</p>
<p>Needless to cite, Pro Kabaddi has been one of the most prominent among them all. The league has ensured that cricket does not remain the only sport for the nation of a billion. The tournament is an 8-City team event, similar to that in the IPL, and was first played in 2014. So how closely are the participating teams of the two most popular leagues of India related? Here we draw comparisons between the teams featuring in Pro Kabaddi League and the IPL:</p>
<h4><strong>1. Chennai Super Kings –&nbsp;Patna Pirates:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_14599" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-14599" style="width: 600px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/03/CSK-Chennai-Super-Kings.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-14599"><img class="wp-image-14599" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/CSK-Chennai-Super-Kings.jpg" alt="CSK" width="600" loading="lazy"></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-14599" class="wp-caption-text">CSK has scored 12 times a score of 200+ in IPL.(Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is undoubtedly the most successful IPL team when it comes to consistency. Having made it to the play-off stage in all the first 8 editions of the IPL where they participated, CSK has&nbsp;been ably led by skipper MS Dhoni. Chennai won the IPL championship for two consecutive years in 2010 and 2011. The fact that has taken them far in all the editions is that they play equally well in both home and away.</p>
<p>Patna Pirates have done something similar in the Pro Kabaddi League. They have been consistent and up to the mark across all four seasons of the tournament. They finished on the 4th spot in the first two seasons and were the champions in the 3rd season that took place earlier this year. Their USP lies in their attacking gameplay, as was evident when they had 241 successful raids in their title campaign – the most by any team.</p>
<p>Pardeep Narwal has been the stalwart for them and was the most successful raider in the 2016 edition. Just like CSK found MS Dhoni, the Pirates have Dharmaraj Cheralathan taking effective calls on the field. The link that connects Patna Pirates and Chennai Super Kings is the consistency factor.</p>
<h5><strong>Also read –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.crictracker.com/ipl-teams-and-their-epl-counterparts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL teams and their EPL counterparts</a></strong></h5>
<p></p>
<h4><strong>2. Royal Challengers Bangalore – Telugu Titans:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_69217" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-69217" style="width: 600px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-6.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-69217"><img class="size-full wp-image-69217" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Royal-Challengers-Bangalore-6.jpg" alt="Royal Challengers Bangalore" width="600" loading="lazy"></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-69217" class="wp-caption-text">Royal Challengers Bangalore. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Telugu Titans share mixed emotions. RCB, despite having some of the biggest names like Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Shane Watson, has fallen short marginally towards the end on most occasions. They played splendid cricket throughout the season but lost the finals this year.</p>
<p>The Titans have similar crisis. They have the likes of Rahul Chaudhari and Sandeep Narwal, two of the best in the business, in their line-up. They found themselves at the 5th position in the inaugural edition, as well as in the third edition. In the second edition, their best shot at winning, they lost the crucial semifinals. Choking in the crunch games and getting into the shell under pressure is what the two teams have paid for.</p>
<p>Virat Kohli has been a&nbsp;magnificent leader for RCB and plundered in excess of 950 runs in a single season this year. The Telugu Titans have Rahul Chaudhari as their leader, who has consistently performed well on the personal front. With 364 successful raids in his career, the 23-year-oldd holds the key to success for the Titans.</p>
<h4><strong>3. Delhi Daredevils – Dabang Delhi:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_68521" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68521" style="width: 600px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Delhi-Daredevils.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-68521"><img class="size-full wp-image-68521" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Delhi-Daredevils.jpg" alt="Delhi Daredevils IPL 9" width="600" loading="lazy"></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-68521" class="wp-caption-text">Delhi Daredevils. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Delhi franchises in both the tournaments have underperformed until now. There is no dearth of talent in either of the two teams, but somehow they have failed to get their act together as a team. Dabang Delhi won just 10 out of their 42 matches played prior to the commencement of the 4th season. Delhi Daredevils, too, has made it to the playoffs only thrice in the 9 editions that they have been a part of.</p>
<p>Yet another similarity between the two teams can be noticed in the amount of young talent that they have. Not just the domestic young talent but also the overseas youngsters. The Daredevils have surely honed the young South African Quinton de Kock and helped him emerge as a versatile player. Sam Billings, the English wicketkeeper, and Carlos Brathwaite are the other youngsters who have benefited with their stint at the Delhi Daredevils camp.</p>
<p>Dabang Delhi have roped in the services of Iranian defender Hadi Tajik and Thai all-rounder Phonchoo Tim this season. The teams might have surely underperformed, but their policy of promoting the youngsters has been lauded.</p>
<h5><strong>Also check out –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.crictracker.com/9-cricketers-and-their-super-hero-cousins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9 Cricketers and their Super Hero Cousins</a></strong></h5>
<p></p>
<h4><strong>4. Rajasthan Royals – Jaipur Pink Panthers:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_18654" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-18654" style="width: 600px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/05/RR-win-vs-KKR.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-18654"><img class="wp-image-18654" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/RR-win-vs-KKR.jpg" alt="Rajasthan Royals 2015" width="600" loading="lazy"></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-18654" class="wp-caption-text">Rajasthan Royals 2015. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Jaipur Pink Panthers and Rajasthan Royals have had a&nbsp;similar fate in their respective tournament histories. Both the teams have been a victim of too many experiments and have seen a slump in form after initial success.</p>
<p>The Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural edition of the IPL and the Panthers lifted the silverware in the inaugural edition of the Pro Kabaddi League. Royals then struggled to make it to the playoffs frequently and their inconsistency didn’t serve the cause of their dwindling fortunes. The Panthers, too, finished at the 5th and 6th spot respectively in the 2015 and 2016 (January) edition.</p>
<p>However, as they say, form is temporary and class is permanent. The adage seems to work well for both the sides. Royals turned the tables in the previous two editions of IPL and came up with spirited performances. Jaipur Pink Panthers have also cashed on the opportunity this season and are currently placed in the top 4 of the points table.</p>
<h4><strong>5. Kings XI Punjab – Puneri Paltan:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_67307" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-67307" style="width: 600px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Kings-XI-Punjab-3.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-67307"><img class="size-full wp-image-67307" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Kings-XI-Punjab-3.jpg" alt="Kings XI Punjab IPL 2016" width="600" loading="lazy"></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-67307" class="wp-caption-text">Kings XI Punjab. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As most of the experts have been saying this season, Puneri Paltan has got a good base, a good set of raiders,&nbsp;a bunch of healthy defenders but have suffered due to their leadership issues. Puneri Paltan had 11 wins to their kitty prior to the 2016 (July) edition of the Pro Kabaddi League. They finished at the bottom most position in the first two editions of the tournament.</p>
<p>However, they came back good in the 3rd season and finished at the 3rd position earlier this year. Just when things looked set for the Puneri Paltan, they succumbed to a string of defeats in the 4th season. Similar has been the case for the Kings XI Punjab. They have had a roller coaster ride in the IPL history so far. KXIP looked threatening in the first couple of seasons but then lost their plot. They were herculean in the 2014 edition and made it to the finals.</p>
<p>However, they ended up being the wooden spoon holders in the next two seasons. Leadership issues and frequent drafting in and out of players have cost them dearly. The Paltan has also suffered for the same reason and this is evident from their stat of just 37 percent of successful tackles.</p>
<h4><strong>6. Kolkata Knight Riders – Bengaluru Bulls:</strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_67489" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-67489" style="width: 600px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Kolkata-Knight-Riders-1.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-67489"><img class="size-full wp-image-67489" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Kolkata-Knight-Riders-1.jpg" alt="Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 9" width="600" loading="lazy"></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-67489" class="wp-caption-text">Kolkata Knight Riders. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Kolkata Knight Riders are the two-time IPL champions, having won the tournament in 2012 and 2014. They are a strong side on paper and their forte lies in teamwork. On most occasions, everybody in the team has been chipping in to contribute and Gautam Gambhir has been a steady rock at the captaincy slot. With no such big names to boast about, they have always been a team to beat.</p>
<p>The case is no different with Bengaluru Bulls, and they have relied on teamwork rather than individual brilliance. They finished at the 3rd spot in the first edition of the PKL and were the runner-up in the 2nd season. They failed to make it to the top 4 in the season that followed and have been struggling in the current season as well. This could be attributed to their poor successful raid rate, which is as low as 28 percent.</p>
<p>One could surely relate this to KKR, who were the champions in 2014, but failed to make it to the playoffs in 2016 edition. Both the teams have stalwarts of the game as mentors. KKR is mentored by the legendary pace bowler Wasim Akram and BB are coached by Randhir Singh, an Arjuna awardee.</p>
<h5><strong>Also read –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.crictracker.com/top-10-surprise-packages-ipl-2016/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Top 10 surprise packages of IPL 2016</a></strong></h5>
<p></p>
<h4><strong>7. Sunrisers Hyderabad – Bengal Warriors: </strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_70036" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-70036" style="width: 600px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2015/04/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-2.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-70036"><img class="size-full wp-image-70036" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Sunrisers-Hyderabad-2.jpg" alt="IPL" width="600" loading="lazy"></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-70036" class="wp-caption-text">Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Bengal Warriors and Sunrisers Hyderabad are definitely closely related for the fact that they have been the dark horses of their respective tournaments so far. Their performances have been highly unpredictable. The Sunrisers surprised everyone when they emerged as the IPL champions this season.</p>
<p>The Bengal Warriors, too, were the surprise element in the 3rd season held earlier this year. With 9 wins in 14 matches, they ended up at the 4th spot. However, their experience in the first two seasons wasn’t fruitful. They finished at 7th and 6th spot respectively. SRH also have had similar fortunes, finishing at the 6th spot in the 2014 and 2015 editions.</p>
<p>The striking similarity between the two sides is their dependence on overseas brilliance. Aussie opener David Warner almost singlehandedly won most of the matches for Sunrisers this year and ended up as the second-leading run-getter of the season. Warriors, too, have a&nbsp;heavy reliance on their Korean import Jang Kun Lee, who has been one of the leading raiders of the tournament. With 527 raids to his name, Lee has been a storming force for the Warriors.</p>
<h4><strong>8. Mumbai Indians – U-Mumba:&nbsp; </strong></h4>
<figure id="attachment_67752" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-67752" style="width: 600px;" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/2016/05/Mumbai-Indians-1.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-67752"><img class="size-full wp-image-67752" src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/Mumbai-Indians-1.jpg" alt="Mumbai Indians IPL 9" width="600" loading="lazy"></a>
<figcaption id="caption-attachment-67752" class="wp-caption-text">Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: BCCI)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The very first similarity between these two sides is their fan base. Arguably the most fancied teams of PKL and IPL, both U-Mumba and Mumbai Indians have lived up to the heavy expectations of their fans. Both the sides have been consistent and have come up against odds on most occasions to end up among the top sides.</p>
<p>The Mumbai Indians made a spectacular comeback in the IPL last year to win the tournament after losing their first five matches. They have been rescued by individual brilliance many a times. Some or the other player has often stood up when needed and bailed the team out of trouble. No wonder, MI has won the IPL twice. U-Mumba also has&nbsp;been juggernauts of Pro Kabaddi League, with just 7 defeats in 42 matches in the first 3 seasons.</p>
<p>Both the teams are backed by the B-town celebs and U-Mumba is in fact owned by Ronnie Screwvala. U-Mumba finished as the runner-up in the first and the third season of the tournament. They were the winners of the 2nd season in 2015 and are now looking good for their second title in the 4th edition of the PKL.</p>
<h5><strong>Also read –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.crictracker.com/ipl-teams-and-their-international-twins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPL teams and their International twins</a></strong></h5>

Pro Kabaddi League is undoubtedly one of the most popular sporting leagues in the world right now. Conceptualized on the lines of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the tournament has managed to garner

IPL teams & Pro Kabaddi teams that match them by character

IPL teams and the Pro Kabaddi teams that match them by character

Pro Kabaddi League is undoubtedly one of the most popular sporting leagues in the world right now. Conceptualized on the lines of the IPL (Indian Premier

IPL teams and the Pro Kabaddi teams that match them by character

IPL teams and the Pro Kabaddi teams that match them by character

6. Kolkata Knight Riders – Bengaluru Bulls:

Also read – Top 10 surprise packages of IPL 2016