Premier Handball League: Confident Rajasthan Patriots gear up to take on Maharashtra Ironmen in first semi-final

Jaipur (Rajasthan)[India], June 24 : Rajasthan Patriots competing in the first ever Premier Handball League (PHL) are aiming to secure their berth in the final as they take on Maharashtra Ironmen in the first semi-final on Saturday, here at Raja Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

The Patriots finished the league campaign in third place and had beaten the same opponent by a margin of five goals in their last encounter of the league. They also got the better of Ironmen in the opening clash of the league.

The Patriots will take the field high on confidence boasting a better head to head record against the Ironmen and have also won the last three games in a row and will hope to take the momentum to the crucial knockout encounter.

Naya Chandra Singh, Head Coach, Rajasthan Patriots, said ahead of the clash, "We have performed well as a team in the league campaign and we have given our supporters and fans something to cheer for. We expect them to support us in the same way. We have a better head to head record against Ironmen, but that does not make us overconfident. We will take one match at a time and make sure we play our best handball. Knockout stages are a different level of pressure as there is no room for mistakes and one mistake can send us out of the tournament."

Captain and goalkeeper Atul Kumar who has been the most vital player of the side will once again lead his troops while also making crucial saves as he has been doing the whole season. The Patriots attack line has been in fine form throughout the league with Hardev Singh, Happy Singh, Mohit Ghanghas, Arjun Lakra, Sumit Kumar and Robin Singh scoring consistently. Amrinder Singh who was included in the squad recently has added a different dimension for the team. Russian, Dmitri Kirieev has been vital for the Patriots with his powerful long rangers and penalty conversions. They also have a good bench strength with Manish Malik and Ahmad Al - Otabi rising to the occasion whenever called upon.

Ironmen will take the field in search of their first win in the third attempt against the Patriots in a high pressure game. They topped the league table aided by consistent performances by Igor Chiseliov, Sumit Ghanghas and Jalal Kiani. Goalkeeper Manjeet Kumar has also been in great form and will dent the attacking prowess of the Patriots.