The Pocket52 Poker Sports League (PSL) – Season 5 concluded on August 19 at the dazzling Novotel Resort and Spa in Candolim, Goa, as the world’s largest poker league in terms of prize pool and participation. Mumbai Anchors captained by Laksh Pal Singh, Delhi Czars led by Shardul Parthasarathi, Goan Nuts led by Dhaval Mudgal, Gujarat Falcons led by Romit Adwani, Lucknow Kings led by Gaurav Sood, and Deccan Aces led by Vaibhav Sharma competed in the latest season.
The Mumbai Anchors exhibited unprecedented talent, nearly winning PSL Season 3 in 2021 to being named winners this year! Owned by Mehul Shah, Puneet Mehra and Rishikesh Shah, the team had the country’s top talents in Akshay Nasa and Ankit Wadhawan (Pro), Alok Birewar (Wildcard), Dhirendra Kumar, Honey Bijlani, Nitin Gulati, Nikaas Masani, Shravan Kapoor and Avinash Tauro (Qualifiers) & Simran Malhotra (Women Qualifier) and lived up to the expectations, winning the title.
Their journey from qualifying stage to the grand finale was nothing short of extraordinary, as they faced stiff competition from the other teams. However, their exceptional talent and determination to reach the top spot worked their way, winning them the championship title and a massive INR 75 Lac.
Close behind was the team Delhi Czars, who walked away with INR 50 lac as the runner-up. The team Goan Nuts led by Dhaval Mudgal finished third and received INR 25 lac for their efforts.
Kicking off on May 4, PSL – Season 5 was a platform for glory and a share from a gigantic prize pool of INR 1.50 Crores. The league got an overwhelming response with 31,000 participating across 34 Online Qualifiers, including three Women Qualifiers hosted on Pocket52 between May 4 and June 25.
From a sea of players across qualifiers, only 34 players made their way into the respective six teams for the live installment of PSL Finale held in Goa from August 17 to 19. The finale had Mix SnGs, Category matches, and the Main Event on August 18. As the finale neared, the Delhi Czars and Goan Nuts had the joint lead, each holding 104 points. However, Mumbai Anchors came out on top to take home the championship trophy. The team entered the Grand Finale with a huge chip lead and maintained it throughout, beating Delhi Czars in the final showdown and winning the coveted title.
Among the player highlights, Sahil Mahboobani of Delhi Czars was named the Player of the Series, while Simran Malhotra was declared the Women Player of the Series. Mahboobani took home a trophy and a cool INR 2 Lac in top prize money for his outstanding performance in the league.
Talking about PSL Season 5, Prajit Ghambir, COO of PSL, said, “PSL as a property along with Pocket52 has created waves in the Indian poker industry. This can be backed by the record-breaking participants witnessed during the qualifiers. This will set a benchmark for all future seasons of the league.”
While Pocket52 was the title sponsor of the super successful PSL – Season 5, Novotel Resort and Spa, and JioCinema served as the the Venue Partner and the official Streaming Partner, respectively.
A Quick Look At PSL Champions
Since its inception in May 2017, the PSL has staged five editions. The inaugural season featured 12 teams and found champions in the team Delhi Panthers, who bagged INR 1.50 Crores in prize money.
Season 2 held in May 2018 was taken down by Goan Nuts for INR 2 Crores. Season 3 that was held virtually, with online qualifiers running from November 25 to December 9, 2022, and the League Matches taking place in April (20-24) 2022, crowned champions in Deccan Aces led by Kunal Patni .
The Kolkata Kings led by Shardul Parthasarathi won Season 4 for INR 72 Lac in April 2022. For the first time, the league was held in “phygital format” and was live-streamed on the OTT platform VOOT.