PWL: Sakshi-Navjot bout highlight of Delhi-UP tie (Preview)

After losing their respective opening matches, UP Dangal will take on Delhi Sultans in the next round of the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) at the Tau Devi Lal Indoor Stadium here on Friday.

Both teams will be hugely dependent on their foreign recruits and both teams have named two foreign wrestlers as their icon players. UP has named last year's world champion Vanesa Kaladzinskaya as their icon player whereas Delhi has named last year's world championships silver medalist Khetik Tsabolov as their top wrestler.

All eyes will also be on Sakshi Malik's clash with Navjot Kaur in this match after both these wrestlers' categories were blocked in the previous encounter. Navjot is the first Indian female wrestler to win a gold at the Asian Championships whereas Sakshi is the first and only Indian to win an Olympic medal. They have never faced each other so far in their career as they fought in different weight categories.

But Navjot has reduced weight now and because of the different weight structure in PWL, there is the possibility of seeing the Asian champion taking on the Olympic champion.

The other two exciting encounters on the cards are in the women's 76 kg where Estonian Epp Mae takes on the European U23 champion from Ukraine Shustovo Anastasia and local boys Naveen takes on Pankaj in the men's 57 kg category. Though Naveen went down to Ravi in his last bout, the UP wrestler's form gives him a definite edge over Pankaj tomorrow.

--IANS

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