Today PKL Season 12 begins in Vizag

Season 12 of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) will begin in Visakhapatnam on Friday, with home favourites Telugu Titans taking on Tamil Thalaivas in the curtain-raiser, followed by Bengaluru Bulls against Puneri Paltan at the Vishwanadh Sports Club.

The league returns to the Port City after a gap of seven years.

Mr Anupam Goswami, Business Head of Mashal and League Chairman, Pro Kabaddi League, said, “We are thrilled to return for another season of the PKL – with an all-new format designed to bring fans even closer to the action. Every match will carry greater importance, increasing the intensity of this season, as we see the league make a much-awaited return to Vizag.”

“We also celebrate our National Sports Day tomorrow with the league honouring legendary athletes, and to kickstart this edition on such an auspicious occasion feels incredibly exciting,” Goswami added.

“Season 12 is going to be very competitive. Every team has strengthened its squad, and the level of preparation across the league is very high. As players, we know that every match will test us, and that is what is going to make this season of the Pro Kabaddi League the most exciting one yet — no game will be easy, and every win will have to be earned,” said Vijay Malik, skipper of the Telugu Titans.

“Starting the season against the home team adds an extra layer of excitement. We know the crowd will be strongly behind them, but that only motivates us to work harder. Matches like these set the tone for the season, and we are looking forward to giving the fans a great contest,” said star raider Pawan Sehrawat, captain of the Tamil Thalaivas.

Ahead of the season, the PKL paid tribute to the Indian Armed Forces, with the 12 captains visiting the INS Kursura – a submarine that participated in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, where it played a key role in patrol missions.

Three of PKL’s services players – Devank (Indian Army, Bengal Warriorz), Naveen (Indian Air Force, Haryana Steelers), and Bharat (Indian Navy, Telugu Titans) – were also involved in a special activation at the INS Kursura.

The league will next move to Jaipur (September 12–28), Chennai (September 29–October 10), and New Delhi (October 11–23). A venue for the playoffs and grand finale is yet to be decided.

On a lighter note, creators joined the 12 PKL captains on the mat for fun games and challenges, divided into two teams – the Mat Mavericks and the Raid Masters. The friendly face-off added energy and entertainment to conclude the day ahead of the season’s start on August 29.

The PKL will be broadcast live on Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar.