U Mumba and Jaipur Pink Panthers registered contrasting wins at the SDAT Multi-Purpose Indoor Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday night, as both teams enhanced their positions in the Pro Kabaddi League with impressive performances.
U Mumba delivered a commanding 42-24 victory over Tamil Thalaivas to climb to fifth place on the points table. The Mumbai outfit combined sharp raiding with resolute defence, spearheaded by Sandeep who clinched his third consecutive Super 10 of the season, finishing with 12 points. Lokesh Ghosliya and skipper Sunil Kumar anchored the defensive unit with High Fives, ensuring the Thalaivas were kept in check.
The opening half was evenly fought, with U Mumba edging ahead 16-11 at the break, courtesy of Ajit Chouhan's timely
raids and Lokesh's quick High Five. Tamil Thalaivas, led by Nitesh Kumar's defensive High Five and Arjun Deshwal's raids, stayed competitive but were undone by U Mumba's controlled execution in the second period. A decisive two-point raid from Sandeep triggered the first All Out, which swung momentum firmly in U Mumba's favour. A second All Out later sealed the result, underlining their dominance in both attack and defence.
The later fixture saw drama of a very different kind as defending champions Jaipur Pink Panthers staged a remarkable comeback to edge Haryana Steelers 37-36 in a nail-biting contest. The Steelers looked in complete control for most of the game, leading by 10 points at one stage and heading into the final quarter with a six-point cushion. Vinay's Super 10 and Rahul Sethpal's High Five had put them in command, but the Panthers fought back with determination.
With Sahil Satpal and Ali Samadi stepping up in raids and Aryan Kumar and Deepanshu Khatri producing vital tackles, Jaipur steadily closed the deficit. In a pulsating final minute, Nitin Rawal's tackle on Vinay handed the Panthers a crucial All Out and a narrow lead. The Steelers managed a bonus point in the final raid, but Deepanshu completed a decisive tackle to secure Jaipur's one-point win, making it one of the season's standout comebacks.
