We have entered the most decisive stage of the Pro Kabaddi season 4 as the next two matches will declare the top two sides of the competition this time around. Defending champions Patna Pirates, Telugu Titans, inaugural champions Jaipur Pink Panthers and Puneri Paltan make the final four teams.
While the first match of Friday sees Patna Pirates engaging in a battle with Puneri Paltan, the second match will have the Telugu Titans locking horns with Jaipur Pink Panthers. Both matches take place at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad.
With the matches taking place in Hyderabad, the question remains if Telugu Titans can take advantage of the situation and draw inspiration from the home crowd to reach the finals or even win the title.
"We hope they will cheer us and that should be a huge bonus. We are not feeling any kind of pressure," said Telugu Titans star and captain Rahul Chaudhary to the Hindu. "The expectations are naturally high but more importantly, the team is playing to its full potential now after a sluggish start."
The Titans got their momentum in the final phase of the league matches and that has come as a really positive boost for the side with the knockout stages of the Pro Kabaddi season 4 right here. They haven't lost any of their previous nine games in the tournament. Jaipur Pink Panthers are strong, but they do go into the match as the underdogs and have to really put their best foot forward to get a good result.
The other match, between Patna Pirates and Puneri Paltan, will also be one to watch. It remains to be seen whether the Pirates will see luck will favour them from the Pro Kabaddi season 3 to the season 4. Favourites, no doubt, but the pressure of fulfilling expectations could also come as a burden for them.
"It all boils down to how well you play on the day. It should be a tough match but we are confident of pulling it off," Dharmaraj Cheralathan, the Patna Pirates skipper, said.
Where to watch live
Pro Kabaddi semifinal 1: Patna Pirates vs Puneri Paltan will begin at 8 p.m. IST (3:30 p.m. BST) on July 29.
Pro Kabaddi semifinal 2: Telugu Titans vs Jaipur Pink Panthers will begin at 9 p.m. IST (4:30 p.m. BST) on July 29.
Hindi Coverage - Star Gold, Star Sports 3/HD 3
English Coverage - Star Sports 2/HD 2
Telugu Coverage - Maa Movies
Kannada Coverage - Suvarna Plus
UK viewers can catch the action on Life OK
Live streaming will be available on Hotstar and Starsports.com
