The Pro Kabaddi League is India’s top professional kabaddi tournament, featuring the best players from India and abroad in fast-paced matches.
Since its start in 2014, it has become one of the country’s most popular leagues, modernizing kabaddi and attracting millions of fans.
In the 2025 final, Dabang Delhi K.C. defeated Puneri Paltan to win the Season 12 title, with Naveen Kumar leading the charge in a thrilling finish.
From our guide covering PKL’s history, teams, format, and auction system, you’ll gain a complete understanding of why the league continues to excite fans every season.
Pro Kabaddi League Overview
The Pro Kabaddi League 2025 season 12 began on August 29, 2025, and the first match was between Telugu Titans and Tamil Thalaivas at Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Vizag.
The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL India) is a professional kabaddi tournament in India where the best players compete in franchise-based teams.
The league, since 2014, has been designed to give kabaddi a platform similar to the IPL, bringing it into prime-time sports entertainment.
PKL follows the traditional rules of kabaddi but adds TV-friendly features such as replays, analytics, and live commentary, making each match more exciting and easier to follow for viewers.
Over the years, the Pro Kabaddi League has grown into one of the most-watched sports leagues, attracting fans from all backgrounds and making kabaddi one of the most popular sports in India.
Pro Kabaddi Schedule For 2025
The Pro Kabaddi schedule for 2025 began on August 29, 2025. The 2025 season of PKL started with Match 1 featuring Telugu Titans vs Tamil Thalaivas at Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Vizag.
The whole season is going to be phased out at 4 venues from August to October in cities like – Vizag, Jaipur, Chennai and Delhi.
Here’s how the schedule for the PKL 12 season will look like:
PKL Match Schedule – Vizag
| Date | Match No. | Teams | Timing (IST) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 29, 2025 | 1 | Telugu Titans vs Tamil Thalaivas | 20:00 | Tamil Thalaivas beat Telugu Titans (38–35) |
| 2 | Bengaluru Bulls vs Puneri Paltan | 21:00 | Tied (Puneri Paltan wins Five Raids 6–4) | |
| August 30, 2025 | 3 | Telugu Titans vs UP Yoddhas | 20:00 | UP Yoddhas beat Telugu Titans (40–35) |
| 4 | U Mumba vs Gujarat Giants | 21:00 | Tied (U Mumba wins Five Raids 6–5) | |
| August 31, 2025 | 5 | Tamil Thalaivas vs U Mumba | 20:00 | U Mumba beat Tamil Thalaivas (36–33) |
| 6 | Bengal Warriorz vs Haryana Steelers | 21:00 | Bengal Warriorz beat Haryana Steelers (54–44) | |
| September 1, 2025 | 7 | Patna Pirates vs UP Yoddhas | 20:00 | UP Yoddhas beat Patna Pirates (34–31) |
| 8 | Puneri Paltan vs Gujarat Giants | 21:00 | Puneri Paltan beat Gujarat Giants (41–19) | |
| September 2, 2025 | 9 | Dabang Delhi K.C. vs Bengaluru Bulls | 20:00 | Dabang Delhi K.C. beat Bengaluru Bulls (41–34) |
| 10 | Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Patna Pirates | 21:00 | Jaipur Pink Panthers beat Patna Pirates (39–36) | |
| September 3, 2025 | 11 | Puneri Paltan vs Bengal Warriorz | 20:00 | Puneri Paltan beat Bengal Warriorz (45–36) |
| 12 | Haryana Steelers vs U Mumba | 21:00 | Tied (Haryana Steelers wins Five Raids 7–6) | |
| September 4, 2025 | 13 | Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Telugu Titans | 20:00 | Telugu Titans beat Jaipur Pink Panthers (37–32) |
| 14 | Puneri Paltan vs Dabang Delhi K.C. | 21:00 | Tied (Dabang Delhi K.C. wins Golden Raid 2–0) | |
| September 5, 2025 | 15 | U Mumba vs Bengaluru Bulls | 20:00 | U Mumba beat Bengaluru Bulls (48–28) |
| 16 | Haryana Steelers vs UP Yoddhas | 21:00 | Haryana Steelers beat UP Yoddhas (37–32) | |
| September 6, 2025 | 17 | Patna Pirates vs Bengaluru Bulls | 20:00 | Bengaluru Bulls beat Patna Pirates (38–30) |
| 18 | Tamil Thalaivas vs Gujarat Giants | 21:00 | Gujarat Giants beat Tamil Thalaivas (37–28) | |
| September 7, 2025 | 19 | Bengal Warriorz vs Telugu Titans | 20:00 | Telugu Titans beat Bengal Warriorz (44–34) |
| 20 | Dabang Delhi K.C. vs Jaipur Pink Panthers | 21:00 | Dabang Delhi K.C. beat Jaipur Pink Panthers (36–35) | |
| September 8, 2025 | 21 | Haryana Steelers vs Bengaluru Bulls | 20:00 | Bengaluru Bulls beat Haryana Steelers (40–33) |
| 22 | Puneri Paltan vs Patna Pirates | 21:00 | Patna Pirates beat Puneri Paltan (48–37) | |
| September 9, 2025 | 23 | Dabang Delhi K.C. vs Bengal Warriorz | 20:00 | Dabang Delhi K.C. beat Bengal Warriorz (45–34) |
| 24 | Gujarat Giants vs Jaipur Pink Panthers | 21:00 | Tied (Jaipur Pink Panthers wins Golden Raid 1–0) | |
| September 10, 2025 | 25 | U Mumba vs Telugu Titans | 20:00 | Telugu Titans beat U Mumba (45–37) |
| 26 | UP Yoddhas vs Puneri Paltan | 21:00 | Puneri Paltan beat UP Yoddhas (43–32) | |
| September 11, 2025 | 27 | U Mumba vs Patna Pirates | 20:00 | U Mumba beat Patna Pirates (40–39) |
| 28 | Dabang Delhi K.C. vs Gujarat Giants | 21:00 | Dabang Delhi K.C. beat Gujarat Giants (38–28) |
PKL Match Schedule – Jaipur
| Date | Match No. | Teams | Timing (IST) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 12, 2025 | 29 | Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Bengaluru Bulls | 20:00 | Bengaluru Bulls beat Jaipur Pink Panthers (28–23) |
| 30 | Tamil Thalaivas vs Bengal Warriorz | 21:00 | Tamil Thalaivas beat Bengal Warriorz (46–36) | |
| September 13, 2025 | 31 | UP Yoddhas vs Jaipur Pink Panthers | 20:00 | Jaipur Pink Panthers beat UP Yoddhas (41–29) |
| 32 | Puneri Paltan vs Telugu Titans | 21:00 | Puneri Paltan beat Telugu Titans (39–33) | |
| September 15, 2025 | 33 | Gujarat Giants vs Haryana Steelers | 20:00 | Haryana Steelers beat Gujarat Giants (40–37) |
| 34 | Bengaluru Bulls vs Telugu Titans | 21:00 | Bengaluru Bulls beat Telugu Titans (34–32) | |
| September 16, 2025 | 35 | UP Yoddhas vs Bengal Warriorz | 20:00 | Bengal Warriorz beat UP Yoddhas (41–37) |
| 36 | Tamil Thalaivas vs Bengaluru Bulls | 21:00 | Tamil Thalaivas beat Bengaluru Bulls (35–29) | |
| September 17, 2025 | 37 | Telugu Titans vs Dabang Delhi K.C. | 20:00 | Dabang Delhi K.C. beat Telugu Titans (33–29) |
| 38 | Haryana Steelers vs Patna Pirates | 21:00 | Haryana Steelers beat Patna Pirates (43–32) | |
| September 18, 2025 | 39 | Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Bengal Warriorz | 20:00 | Jaipur Pink Panthers beat Bengal Warriorz (45–41) |
| 40 | U Mumba vs Puneri Paltan | 21:00 | Puneri Paltan beat U Mumba (40–22) | |
| September 19, 2025 | 41 | Puneri Paltan vs Haryana Steelers | 20:00 | Haryana Steelers beat Puneri Paltan (34–30) |
| 42 | Tamil Thalaivas vs Telugu Titans | 21:00 | Telugu Titans beat Tamil Thalaivas (43–29) | |
| September 20, 2025 | 43 | Patna Pirates vs Dabang Delhi K.C. | 20:00 | Patna Pirates beat Dabang Delhi K.C. (33–30) |
| 44 | Haryana Steelers vs Tamil Thalaivas | 21:00 | Haryana Steelers beat Tamil Thalaivas (38–36) | |
| September 22, 2025 | 45 | Gujarat Giants vs Bengaluru Bulls | 20:00 | Bengaluru Bulls beat Gujarat Giants (28–24) |
| 46 | Tamil Thalaivas vs UP Yoddhas | 21:00 | UP Yoddhas beat Tamil Thalaivas (39–22) | |
| September 23, 2025 | 47 | Gujarat Giants vs Telugu Titans | 20:00 | Telugu Titans beat Gujarat Giants (30–29) |
| 48 | Jaipur Pink Panthers vs U Mumba | 21:00 | Tied (Jaipur Pink Panthers wins Five Raids 6–4) | |
| September 25, 2025 | 49 | Bengaluru Bulls vs UP Yoddhas | 20:00 | Tied (UP Yoddhas wins Five Raids 6–5) |
| 50 | Dabang Delhi K.C. vs U Mumba | 21:00 | Dabang Delhi K.C. beat U Mumba (47–26) | |
| September 27, 2025 | 51 | Patna Pirates vs Bengal Warriorz | 20:00 | Bengal Warriorz beat Patna Pirates (48–42) |
| 52 | Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Tamil Thalaivas | 21:00 | Tamil Thalaivas beat Jaipur Pink Panthers (37–28) |
PKL Match Schedule – Chennai
| Date | Match No | Teams | Timing | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 29, 2025 | 53 | UP Yoddhas vs Gujarat Giants | 20:00 | Gujarat Giants beat UP Yoddhas (33–27) |
| September 29, 2025 | 54 | Dabang Delhi KC vs Haryana Steelers | 21:00 | Dabang Delhi K.C. beat Haryana Steelers (38–37) |
| September 30, 2025 | 55 | Telugu Titans vs Patna Pirates | 20:00 | Telugu Titans beat Patna Pirates (37–28) |
| September 30, 2025 | 56 | Bengal Warriorz vs Puneri Paltan | 21:00 | Puneri Paltan beat Bengal Warriorz (49–44) |
| October 1, 2025 | 57 | Haryana Steelers vs Jaipur Pink Panthers | 20:00 | Jaipur Pink Panthers beat Haryana Steelers (37–36) |
| October 1, 2025 | 58 | U Mumba vs Tamil Thalaivas | 21:00 | U Mumba beat Tamil Thalaivas (42–24) |
| October 2, 2025 | 59 | Puneri Paltan vs Bengaluru Bulls | 20:00 | Puneri Paltan tied with Bengaluru Bulls (29–29, PUN wins Five Raids 6–4) |
| October 2, 2025 | 60 | Gujarat Giants vs U Mumba | 21:00 | U Mumba beat Gujarat Giants (40–25) |
| October 3, 2025 | 61 | Dabang Delhi KC vs UP Yoddhas | 20:00 | Dabang Delhi K.C. beat UP Yoddhas (43–26) |
| October 3, 2025 | 62 | Tamil Thalaivas vs Haryana Steelers | 21:00 | Tamil Thalaivas beat Haryana Steelers (45–33) |
| October 4, 2025 | 63 | Puneri Paltan vs Jaipur Pink Panthers | 20:00 | Puneri Paltan beat Jaipur Pink Panthers (41–36) |
| October 4, 2025 | 64 | Gujarat Giants vs Bengal Warriorz | 21:00 | Gujarat Giants beat Bengal Warriorz (47–40) |
| October 5, 2025 | 65 | UP Yoddhas vs Telugu Titans | 20:00 | Telugu Titans beat UP Yoddhas (40–35) |
| October 5, 2025 | 66 | Bengaluru Bulls vs Tamil Thalaivas | 21:00 | Bengaluru Bulls beat Tamil Thalaivas (33–29) |
| October 6, 2025 | 67 | Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Dabang Delhi KC | 20:00 | Dabang Delhi K.C. beat Jaipur Pink Panthers (29–26) |
| October 6, 2025 | 68 | UP Yoddhas vs Patna Pirates | 21:00 | Patna Pirates beat UP Yoddhas (36–28) |
| October 7, 2025 | 69 | Patna Pirates vs Tamil Thalaivas | 20:00 | Tamil Thalaivas beat Patna Pirates (56–37) |
| October 7, 2025 | 70 | Haryana Steelers vs Dabang Delhi KC | 21:00 | Match tied (33–33, Dabang Delhi wins Five Raids 9–3) |
| October 8, 2025 | 71 | Telugu Titans vs Haryana Steelers | 20:00 | Telugu Titans beat Haryana Steelers (46–29) |
| October 8, 2025 | 72 | Puneri Paltan vs U Mumba | 21:00 | Puneri Paltan beat U Mumba (37–27) |
| October 9, 2025 | 73 | Bengal Warriorz vs Dabang Delhi KC | 20:00 | Bengal Warriorz beat Dabang Delhi K.C. (37–36) |
| October 9, 2025 | 74 | Gujarat Giants vs UP Yoddhas | 21:00 | Gujarat Giants beat UP Yoddhas (41–39) |
| October 10, 2025 | 75 | Gujarat Giants vs Dabang Delhi KC | 20:00 | Dabang Delhi K.C. beat Gujarat Giants (39–33) |
| October 10, 2025 | 76 | Bengal Warriorz vs U Mumba | 21:00 | U Mumba beat Bengal Warriorz (48–29) |
| October 11, 2025 | 77 | Bengaluru Bulls vs Jaipur Pink Panthers | 20:00 | Bengaluru Bulls beat Jaipur Pink Panthers (47–26) |
| October 11, 2025 | 78 | Tamil Thalaivas vs Puneri Paltan | 21:00 | Puneri Paltan beat Tamil Thalaivas (36–23) |
| October 12, 2025 | 79 | Dabang Delhi KC vs Puneri Paltan | 20:00 | Match tied (38–38, Puneri Paltan wins Five Raids 6–5) |
| October 12, 2025 | 80 | Bengal Warriorz vs Bengaluru Bulls | 21:00 | Bengaluru Bulls beat Bengal Warriorz (43–32) |
PKL Match Schedule- Delhi
| Date | Match No | Teams | Timing | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 13, 2025 | 81 | Patna Pirates vs Haryana Steelers | 20:00 | Haryana Steelers beat Patna Pirates (39–32) |
| 82 | U Mumba vs UP Yoddhas | 21:00 | UP Yoddhas beat U Mumba (40–24) | |
| October 14, 2025 | 83 | Patna Pirates vs Gujarat Giants | 20:00 | Gujarat Giants beat Patna Pirates (40–32) |
| 84 | UP Yoddhas vs Tamil Thalaivas | 21:00 | UP Yoddhas beat Tamil Thalaivas (32–31) | |
| October 15, 2025 | 85 | Telugu Titans vs Bengal Warriorz | 19:00 | Match tied (45–45), Bengal Warriorz won Five Raids 7–5 |
| 86 | Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Puneri Paltan | 20:00 | Puneri Paltan beat Jaipur Pink Panthers (57–33) | |
| 87 | Gujarat Giants vs Tamil Thalaivas | 21:00 | Gujarat Giants beat Tamil Thalaivas (42–35) | |
| October 16, 2025 | 88 | Bengaluru Bulls vs Patna Pirates | 19:00 | Match tied (32–32), Patna Pirates won Five Raids 6–5 |
| 89 | Telugu Titans vs U Mumba | 20:00 | U Mumba beat Telugu Titans (33–26) | |
| 90 | UP Yoddhas vs Haryana Steelers | 21:00 | Haryana Steelers beat UP Yoddhas (53–26) | |
| October 17, 2025 | 91 | Bengal Warriorz vs Patna Pirates | 19:00 | Patna Pirates beat Bengal Warriorz (51–49) |
| 92 | Tamil Thalaivas vs Dabang Delhi KC | 20:00 | Dabang Delhi KC beat Tamil Thalaivas (37–31) | |
| 93 | Jaipur Pink Panthers vs UP Yoddhas | 21:00 | Jaipur Pink Panthers beat UP Yoddhas (42–29) | |
| October 18, 2025 | 94 | Bengaluru Bulls vs Dabang Delhi KC | 19:00 | Bengaluru Bulls beat Dabang Delhi KC (33–23) |
| 95 | Telugu Titans vs Puneri Paltan | 20:00 | Telugu Titans beat Puneri Paltan (40–31) | |
| 96 | Bengal Warriorz vs Jaipur Pink Panthers | 21:00 | Jaipur Pink Panthers beat Bengal Warriorz (38–30) | |
| October 19, 2025 | 97 | Telugu Titans vs Gujarat Giants | 19:00 | Telugu Titans beat Gujarat Giants (30–25) |
| 98 | U Mumba vs Haryana Steelers | 20:00 | Match tied (37–37), U Mumba won Five Raids 7–5 | |
| 99 | Patna Pirates vs Puneri Paltan | 21:00 | Patna Pirates beat Puneri Paltan (38–27) | |
| October 21, 2025 | 100 | Bengal Warriorz vs Tamil Thalaivas | 19:00 | Bengal Warriorz beat Tamil Thalaivas (44–43) |
| 101 | U Mumba vs Jaipur Pink Panthers | 20:00 | U Mumba beat Jaipur Pink Panthers (37–36) | |
| 102 | Haryana Steelers vs Gujarat Giants | 21:00 | Haryana Steelers beat Gujarat Giants (50–32) | |
| October 22, 2025 | 103 | Haryana Steelers vs Telugu Titans | 19:00 | Haryana Steelers beat Telugu Titans (45–34) |
| 104 | Bengaluru Bulls vs Bengal Warriorz | 20:00 | Bengaluru Bulls beat Bengal Warriorz (54–24) | |
| 105 | Dabang Delhi KC vs Patna Pirates | 21:00 | Patna Pirates beat Dabang Delhi KC (61–26) | |
| October 23, 2025 | 106 | Bengaluru Bulls vs Gujarat Giants | 19:00 | Bengaluru Bulls beat Gujarat Giants (54–26) |
| 107 | UP Yoddhas vs U Mumba | 20:00 | UP Yoddhas beat U Mumba (35–32) | |
| 108 | Patna Pirates vs Jaipur Pink Panthers | 21:00 | Patna Pirates beat Jaipur Pink Panthers (33–18) |
PKL 2025 Playoffs Schedule & Results
| Date | Match Type | Teams | Timing | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 25, 2025 | Play-in 1 | Haryana Steelers vs Jaipur Pink Panthers | 20:00 | Jaipur Pink Panthers beat Haryana Steelers (30–27) |
| Play-in 2 | U Mumba vs Patna Pirates | 21:00 | Patna Pirates beat U Mumba (40–31) | |
| October 26, 2025 | Eliminator 1 | Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Patna Pirates | 20:00 | Patna Pirates beat Jaipur Pink Panthers (48–32) |
| Mini-Qualifier | Bengaluru Bulls vs Telugu Titans | 21:00 | Telugu Titans beat Bengaluru Bulls (37–32) |
This season promises exciting action as all 12 teams compete, giving fans an opportunity to witness top kabaddi talent in India.
Where To Watch Pro Kabaddi League 2025?
You can watch the Pro Kabaddi League 2025 live on the Star Sports Network, with matches available in multiple regional languages for your convenience.
If you prefer online viewing, you can stream every match live on JioHotstar, making it easy to follow the action on your phone, laptop, or smart TV.
You can also track live scores, schedules, and match updates through the official Pro Kabaddi app and website.
History Of The Pro Kabaddi League In India
The Pro Kabaddi League began in July 2014, inspired by the success of the Kabaddi World Cup and the sport’s massive fan base. The first season featured eight teams and quickly captured public attention.
Over the years, the league’s format has evolved, expanding from 8 to 12 teams and increasing the number of matches per season to keep fans engaged.
PKL also embraced modern broadcasting, showing matches in multiple Indian languages, including Hindi, English, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada, making the sport accessible to a broader audience.
With these efforts, PKL became a household name, securing kabaddi’s place in modern sports culture and attracting fans from all over India.
Who Owns PKL?
The Pro Kabaddi League is owned by Mashal Sports, a company founded to promote kabaddi professionally across India.
Mashal Sports has partnered with Star India to bring PKL matches to TV audiences and help the league gain nationwide visibility.
The Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) controls the sport’s regulations within the league to ensure that kabaddi’s traditional rules are followed.
This partnership between Mashal Sports, Star India, and AKFI ensures smooth operations for the league while maintaining the integrity of the game.
Rules and Format of the Pro Kabaddi League
The Pro Kabaddi League matches follow standard kabaddi rules with minor adaptations for television, including time-outs and bonus point rules to make the game more engaging.
Each match lasts 40 minutes, divided into two halves of 20 minutes each, keeping the action fast-paced and exciting for fans. Teams field seven players on the court at a time, with up to five substitutes available to rotate during the match.
The league follows a format with a league stage, where all teams compete against each other, followed by playoffs and a final to determine the champion each season.
Pro Kabaddi League Auction and How It Works
The Pro Kabaddi League auction takes place before every season, where teams bid to buy players and form their squads.
Each franchise works within a set budget and salary cap, ensuring fair competition while building a balanced team.
Players are divided into categories based on their performance, experience, and potential, which helps teams strategize their bids.
Coaches and team owners carefully plan player selection, aiming to create the right mix of raiders, defenders, and all-rounders for a competitive season.
Pro Kabaddi Teams 2025
The 2025 Pro Kabaddi League features 12 competitive teams from across India, each bringing top kabaddi talent and fierce rivalry to the mat.
| Team Name | Captains | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Bengal Warriorz | Fazel Atrachali | Kolkata, West Bengal |
| Bengaluru Bulls | Pardeep Narwal | Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| Dabang Delhi KC | Naveen Kumar & Ashu Malik | Delhi |
| Gujarat Giants | Neeraj Kumar | Ahmedabad, Gujarat |
| Haryana Steelers | Jaideep Dahiya | Panchkula, Haryana |
| Jaipur Pink Panthers | Arjun Deshwal | Jaipur, Rajasthan |
| Patna Pirates | Ankit Jaglan | Patna, Bihar |
| Puneri Paltan | Aslam Inamdar | Pune, Maharashtra |
| Tamil Thalaivas | Pawan Sehrawat | Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
| Telugu Titans | Vijay Malik | Hyderabad, Telangana |
| U Mumba | Sunil Kumar | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| UP Yoddhas | Sumit Sangwan | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh |
Pro Kabaddi League Winners List (Past Champions)
Since it started in 2014, the Pro Kabaddi League has had many champions, with teams showing great skill and exciting performances each season.
| Season | Year | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2014 | Jaipur Pink Panthers |
| 2 | 2015 | U Mumba |
| 3 | 2016 | Patna Pirates |
| 4 | 2016 | Patna Pirates |
| 5 | 2017 | Patna Pirates |
| 6 | 2018 | Bengaluru Bulls |
| 7 | 2019 | Bengal Warriorz |
| 8 | 2021 | Dabang Delhi K.C. |
| 9 | 2022 | Jaipur Pink Panthers |
| 10 | 2023 | Puneri Paltan |
| 11 | 2024 | Haryana Steelers |
| 12 | 2025 | Dabang Delhi K.C. |
The most successful team in Pro Kabaddi League history is the Patna Pirates, who have won three titles in Seasons 3, 4, and 5.
Their consistent performance and strong gameplay made them a dominant force during the early years of the league, earning them a reputation as one of the best teams in PKL.
The defending champions are the Haryana Steelers, who won Season 11 in 2024. They claimed the title with impressive teamwork and strategy, making them the team to watch in the upcoming season.
Top 5 All-Time Best Pro Kabaddi Players
The Pro Kabaddi League has seen many talented players who stood out with their skill and consistency. Here’s a look at the top 5 all-time best PKL players.
1. Pardeep Narwal
Pardeep Narwal, known as the “Dubki King,” is the top raider in Pro Kabaddi history with 1,810 points from 190 matches.
His skillful raids and consistency made him a key player for Bengaluru Bulls, earning him recognition as one of the greatest in the league.
2. Maninder Singh
Maninder Singh, representing Bengal Warriors, has scored 1,544 points in 158 matches. He is known for his precision and agility on the mat, consistently helping his team secure victories and proving himself as one of the most reliable raiders in PKL.
3. Kumar Sehrawat
Pawan Kumar Sehrawat has amassed 1,388 points in 139 matches. Playing for Bengaluru Bulls, he stands out for his quick reflexes and attacking style.
His consistent performance makes him a formidable raider, feared by opponents and admired by fans.
4. Arjun Deshwal
Arjun Deshwal has scored 1,182 points in 114 matches. As a key raider, he has shown great technique and determination, contributing significantly to his team’s success. His ability to score under pressure highlights his value in the league.
5. Naveen Kumar
Naveen Kumar, with 1,120 points from 107 matches, is a prominent raider for Dabang Delhi. Known for his sharp moves and consistency, he has become an important player, often turning games in his team’s favor with his strategic raids.
How Can a Player Join the Pro Kabaddi League?
To play in the Pro Kabaddi League, it takes skill, dedication, and the right opportunities. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:
Step 1: Compete in Tournaments
Begin by playing in district and state-level kabaddi tournaments. Strong performances here help players get noticed by scouts and build a competitive record.
Step 2: Attend Trials and Camps
Next, participate in trials or talent scouting camps organized by PKL teams or the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI). These are designed to identify promising players.
Step 3: Enter the Auction Pool
If you impress at trials, you are shortlisted for the player auction pool, where teams review your skills and decide if they want to bid for you.
Step 4: Join a Team
Finally, if a team wins the bid, you sign a contract and officially become part of the PKL squad, starting your professional kabaddi journey.
Difference Between Classic Kabaddi and Pro Kabaddi League
The difference between Classic Kabaddi and the Pro Kabaddi League is that Classic Kabaddi is traditional, with longer matches and bigger fields.
The Pro Kabaddi League is faster, played indoors, and made for entertainment.
| Feature | Classic Kabaddi | Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Traditional, played in villages | Professional, televised league |
| Rules | Follows original, strict rules | Modernized rules for faster gameplay |
| Field | Bigger outdoor field (13m × 10m) | Smaller indoor mat (10m × 13m) |
| Match Duration | Longer, often without strict timing | Time-bound (40 minutes, two halves) |
| Focus | Skill, endurance | Entertainment, team strategies |
| Audience | Local spectators | National/international TV audience |
| Other Features | Simple setup, traditional scoring | Player auctions, franchises, commentary, analytics |
The difference between Classic Kabaddi and the Pro Kabaddi League is mainly in style and presentation. Classic Kabaddi is traditional, played on bigger outdoor fields with longer matches, focusing on skill, stamina, and teamwork.
The Pro Kabaddi League is a modern, professional version played indoors with time-limited matches.
It adds entertainment with team franchises, player auctions, commentary, and strategies, making the game faster and more exciting for a larger audience.
It also uses technology for scoring and player analysis, which is not present in traditional Kabaddi.
Pro Kabaddi League Impact and Viewership Trends
The Pro Kabaddi League has grown steadily, reaching 226 million viewers in 2024, a 17% increase from last year. About 70% of viewers are under 40, and women make up 44%, showing that the league appeals to a wide audience.
The league is popular across India, from Hindi-speaking regions to the South, attracting people of all ages. Brand investments are still less than cricket, but growth opportunities are increasing.
PKL is also looking beyond India, with plans for kabaddi matches in Melbourne by 2026. This shows the league is becoming popular globally while continuing to grow at home.
Conclusion: Dabang Delhi K.C. Won Pro Kabaddi League 2025 Season 12 Title
The Pro Kabaddi League in India has made kabaddi more popular and exciting. Its fast-paced matches and team-based format have drawn millions of fans across the country, giving a fresh energy to this traditional sport.
The Pro Kabaddi League’s impact is clear in its growing audience. Young people, women, and city viewers are watching the matches each season with the same interest and excitement.
The league is also expanding globally. International events and showcases are helping the Pro Kabaddi League reach fans beyond India, spreading kabaddi’s popularity and influence around the world.
FAQs
Average PKL player salary ranges between ₹10 lakhs to ₹60 lakhs per season, depending on performance, experience, and team bidding strategy.
International players are selected through kabaddi tournaments worldwide and invited to enter the auction pool, where franchises bid for them.
Mumbai has hosted multiple PKL finals, benefiting from strong audience turnout, excellent indoor venues, and its position as India’s sports hub.
Players must generally be 18 years or older, with fitness, skills, and selection trials determining eligibility rather than a strict maximum age.
Teams focus on rigorous fitness camps, tactical sessions, practice matches, and player rehabilitation programs to maintain form before the season.
