Premier Badminton League 2017 Team Profile: Bengaluru Blasters
Bengaluru Blasters have roped in Rio Olympics bronze medallist Viktor Axelsen, and the Danish player will be expected to deliver the goods and help them win their first ever title
Highlights
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Bengaluru Blasters will hope to lift their first ever PBL title
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Viktor Axelsen is the star name in the team's squad
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Ashwini Ponnappa will be leading the women's doubles line
After a bottom place finish in the 2016 edition of Premier Badminton League (PBL) under the name Bengaluru Topguns, the new-look team will hope that the name-change will help in a turnaround of fortunes this coming season. The Sachin Tendulkar co-owned Bengaluru Blasters have roped in Rio Olympics bronze medallist Viktor Axelsen, and the Danish player will be expected to deliver the goods and help them win their first ever title. They retained Ashwini Ponnappa from the previous season and the senior doubles player will add to their strength.
The team will start its PBL 2017 campaign against Delhi Acers on January 1.
TEAM OWNERS
Mr. N Prasad.
HOST STADIUM
Koramangala Indoor Stadium.
PLAYERS
Viktor Axelsen, Sourabh Verma, Boonsak Ponsana - men's singles; RS Gadde, Cheung Ngan Yi - women's singles; Sikki Reddy, Ashwini Ponnappa - women's/mixed doubles; Pranaav Chopra, Ko Sung-Hyun, Yoo Yeon Seong - men's/mixed doubles.
PROSPECTS
Viktor Axelsen will be leading a formidable men's singles line-up, which will also comprise of Sourabh Verma and Boonsak Ponsana. Verma reached four consecutive finals and won his maiden Grand Prix title at the Chinese Taipei Masters. The 34-year-old Ponsana from is also a multiple-time Superseries winner and will help the Bengaluru Blstares with his huge experience. In women's singles, the hopes will rest on RS Gadde and Cheung Ngan Yi. Pranaav Chopra, Ko Sung-Hyn and Yoo Yeon Seong will be part of the men's doubles roster, with the trio forming the mixed doubles team with women's doubles duo Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy.