'Trump match' will be turning point in PBL: Saina

Indian star Saina Nehwal on Monday expressed her excitement about the 'trump match' rule and said it will be the turning point in the 2016 Premier Badminton League (PBL) starting on January 2.

PBL organisers have brought in few chances to make the league exciting. Apart from the matches being played up to 15 points, one more will see each team getting to strategically select one of the five matches that they play in a tie as their "trump match" where a victory gives the team a bonus point and a loss gives it a negative point.

A team cannot put the same player in the "trump matches" proposed by them more than twice in the league stage and once in the knock out stage.

And World No. 2, Saina, who will turn out for Awadhe Warriors, felt that winning the 'trump match' will be the "key".

"What is exciting me the most is the new rule of 'trump match'. I think that will be the turning point for any team during any day. So using it effectively will be the key for each team," Saina said in a release.

With her team boasting names like Christinna Pedersen of Denmark, Sai Praneeth Bhamidipati, Cai Yun of China, Hendra Gunawan of Indonesia and Bodin Issara of Thailand to name a few, Saina is all confident of her team giving a strong fight to the opponents on the court.

"It's a great moment for all of us as PBL is all set to commence with the best players of the world and we will see tough competition between us," the London Olympics bronze medallist and 2015 World Championships silver medallist said.

Saina's Awadhe will face Mumbai Rockets in Mumbai in the tournament's opener.

Other teams in the league are Delhi Acers, Hyderabad Hunters, Bengaluru Top Guns, Chennai Smashers.