The much-awaited clash on Saturday night will be the women's singles match between chief national coach P Gopichand-trained shuttlers, Saina and Sindhu.
After 83 matches over 17 days across six cities, it boils down to Hyderabad Hotshots vs Awadhe Warriors in the maiden Indian Badminton League final to be held at the Sardar Vallabhai Patel Stadium, Worli, in Mumbia on Saturday evening.
The last time the two played on the second day of the league in New Delhi, Saina Nehwal's Hotshots got the better of PV Sindhu's Warriors 3-2.
The much-awaited clash on Saturday night will be the women's singles match between chief national coach P Gopichand-trained shuttlers, Saina and Sindhu.
The Olympic bronze medallist tamed the teenaged World Championships bronze medallist in straight games the last time around.
"It will be a clash of brain, style, physical power and mindset," was how Gopichand put it on Friday as 23-year-old Saina wound up her training session and Sindhu, 18, was about to began hers.
The pressure will be on the Hyderabad Hotshots singles players, India's Ajay Jayaram and Thailand's Saemsomboonsuk Tanongsak, and Saina as their men's doubles and mixed doubles players have disappointed, winning only four matches and losing seven out of 11 matches.
On the other hand, Warriors' doubles teams have a 67 % success rate from their doubles matches, winning eight and losing only four.
Saina will only be keen to finish the league on a 100 per cent winning note and extend her authority on Sindhu, who has accounted for some big names in the sport along the way.
The arrival of Indonesia's Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth as a replacement for Thailand's Sapsiree Taerattanachai has only strengthened the Warriors' mixed doubles along with compatriot Markis Kido.
The pair are ranked ninth in the world in mixed doubles and have won two of their three matches so far. Kido, a former No. 1 in men's doubles, has also forged a fruitful partnership with Mathias Boe of Denmark.
"Not necessarily. It is almost the same," said Gopichand, IBL governing council member, when asked if Warriors were stronger in doubles.
But the statistics speaks for itself. Only Hotshots' men's doubles Malaysian pair of Khim Wah Lim and V Shem Goh, ranked 16th in the world, could be the saving grace in the doubles category.
They have won three and lost two in the five matches that they have teamed together.
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