U Mumba Edge Out Bengaluru Bulls in Pro Kabaddi League
U Mumba's third win in five matches took them to fourth in the Pro Kabaddi league table with 15 points. Bengaluru Bulls, on the other hand, remained in sixth place after suffering their fourth loss in six games.
U Mumba showed nerves of steel as they rallied back brilliantly to edge out Bengaluru Bulls 29-28 in a thrilling Pro Kabaddi League encounter in Kolkata. (Patna Pirates Defeat Jaipur Pink Panthers in Thriller)
U Mumba's third win in five matches took them to fourth in the table with 15 points. Bengaluru, on the other hand, remained in sixth place after suffering their fourth loss in six games. (Nitin Stars in Bengal Warrior's Win Over Puneri Paltan)
In a match where they trailed for almost 38 minutes, U Mumba kept their cool and turned the tables on their inexperienced rivals.
Rakesh Kumar, the former India star, played a starring role for an under-strength U Mumba side, who were severely handicapped by the absence of Anup Kumar and the trio of Mohit Chhillar, Surender Nada and Vishal Mane - the core of their defence.
Iran's Fazel Atrachali, playing his first full match, provided the window of opportunity to U Mumba when he held Amit Rathi with a waist hold. The next raid by Surjeet, the lone man standing for the Bengaluru Bulls, culminated in the last minute all-out which clinched the match for the winners.
In hindsight, the strategy of Bengaluru Bulls coach Randhir Singh to utilise his skipper Surjeet Singh as a tool to run down the clock with empty raids backfired. Both will definitely rue the fact that those 20 empty raids returned to haunt them in the end.
U Mumba were down and out in the first half. The situation seemed grim as they were 4-10 down after the first all out in the 9th minute and then 9-20 after the second in the 18th minute.
At half time, Bengaluru had a 21-10 advantage and it probably prompted the Bengaluru coach Randhir Singh to ask his trump card Surjeet to waste time and conserve his energy.
However, after the disappointment of the first half, U Mumba came out determined to narrrow the gap to 20-27 when the final five minutes were called.
The tide turned with Rakesh got hold of raiders Pawan Kumar and Vinoth Kumar in successive raids. Yet at 27-22 the losers were well-placed.
Once panic set in, Rakesh Kumar sensed the opportunity and turned the tables in his team's favour right at the death.