5 reasons why the Delhi Acers won the 2016 PBL title

After losing their first two matches, the Delhi Acers made the most spectacular turnaround imaginable as they remained unbeaten after that, en route to winning the 2016 Premier Badminton League (PBL) title. They were one of the most well-bonded teams of the PBL, where every member played a crucial role in leading the team to the win.Here’s a look at five major factors that helped the Acers to emerge triumphant:

#1 Flawless record in trump matches

The men's doubles pair of Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Hong starred in their team’s victories

The Delhi Acers were the only team who had a flawless 7-0 record in ‘trump matches’. Since winning a trump match gives a team a bonus point, the Acers were able to bounce back swiftly from any setback they encountered during their ties.

A lot of the credit for this goes to the team captain and the management in singling out the right players for the trump matches. The men’s singles duo of Tommy Sugiarto and Rajiv Ouseph, the men’s doubles team of Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong and the mixed doubles pair of Gabrielle Adcock/Akshay Dewalkar were responsible for the seven vital wins.

The ability of their big name players to consistently thrive under pressure was what presented the Delhi outfit with these very important victories.

#2 Great depth in mens singles

The Acers boasted the formidable firepower of British international Rajiv Ouseph

The Delhi franchise had three players in the top 21: 11th-ranked Tommy Sugiarto, 17th-ranked Rajiv Ouseph and 21st-ranked Ajay Jayaram. And they could easily rely upon their men’s singles players to deliver them a win when they needed it.

Four of the seven ‘trump match’ wins came via Sugiarto and Ouseph, and that itself shows how indispensable both of them were to the cause of the Acers. The Indonesian was of course the talk of the town for his admirable composure, but he also had excellent support from his English teammate Ouseph whenever needed.

The Commonwealth Games silver medallist was pivotal to Delhi’s campaign as it was his trump match victory over the Mumbai Rockets which ultimately earned them the title.

The third player in this triumvirate – Ajay Jayaram – was also in stellar form and amassed three wins.

#3 The indomitable Tommy Sugiarto

The 11th-ranked Tommy Sugiarto deserves a special mention here. He was central to Delhi’s success and quite justifiably, was conferred the MVP (Male) award.

Sugiarto had arrived for the PBL right after clinching the 2015 Indonesian Masters title, and his confidence was understandably sky-high. Sugiarto’s calmness in high-pressure situations was outstanding, and it helped pushed him to the win in each of the six matches that he appeared.

One of those triumphs was against the former World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei of the Hyderabad Hunters; Sugiarto showed that he was capable of beating anyone, and that he totally belonged to the big league.

In the final, the 27-year-old initially seemed to have no answers to the big-hitting HS Prannoy in the first game. But he soon found his rhythm, and through his barrage of jump smashes, fine footwork and solid defense, Sugiarto took control of the proceedings and seized the win for the Acers.

#4 The formidable doubles pair of Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong

Can you imagine what it takes to win a 91-shot rally? Yes, you read that right. The 91-shot rally that Keat and Heong won at the PBL stands testimony to their incredible tenacity and stamina.

It is thus no surprise that the Dutch Open champions were the backbone of the Delhi team. They collected five wins throughout the tournament, which greatly helped the Acers in their quest for their maiden PBL title.

What stands out about the Malaysian duo is their fearlessness and resilience. The duo never panicked even after losing a game to the strong pair of Mathias Boe and Vladimir Ivanov in the pulsating final. The lefty-righty combination regrouped immediately and started attacking relentlessly, picking the right spots. Heong’s corner smash and around-the-head smash wreaked havoc on the Mumbai pair.

They also started intercepting shots at the net which left Boe and Ivanov dumbfounded. Keat and Heong’s sound strategy and their ability to quickly rebound were two of the principle reasons why Delhi were so good in men’s doubles.

#5 Strong performances from skipper Gabrielle Adcock

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English doubles star Gabrielle Adcock was an inspiring leader whose intelligent decision-making was one of the key reasons for the Acers’ monumental success. She made the right choices for the crucial ties and her team members thoroughly justified her trust in them.

In particular, Adcock's selection of Rajiv Ouseph’s men’s singles clash as the ‘trump match’ in the final was a masterstroke. She had full faith in her countryman’s abilities, and the 17th-ranked Ouseph did not disappoint when the final boiled down to the wire.

As a player too she was no less impressive. Adcock, who arrived at the PBL fresh from capturing the Dubai World Superseries Finals mixed doubles title, led by example. She registered two wins in mixed doubles, one of which was a trump match.

Needless to say, the skipper laid the foundation to the Acers’ triumph through her vision and belief.