As the Premier Badminton League (PBL) caravan trundles off to Lucknow, it is the sixth and final team in the league, Delhi Acers, that will be making its debut against the Saina Nehwal led hosts, Awadhe Warriors. And the sparks are bound to fly between two evenly balanced teams, but for the presence of the Indian icon.


Saina Nehwal

Saina's absence in Awadhe's opening match against Mumbai Rockets made all the difference between victory and defeat in the narrow 1-2 reverse. An inflamed Achilles tendon, which has not quite settled, was given as the reason for Saina's last-minute withdrawal from the opening tie at the NSCI. Had she played, there is little doubt that the world No.2 would have taken Mumbai's Ruthvika Shivani in her stride.