Pro Kabaddi: U Mumba make it 8 wins in a row by beating Dabang Delhi 29-25

Anup Kumar celebrates with his team after U Mumba notched up another victory

U Mumba won their 8^th match in a row by completing the double on Dabang Delhi with a 29-25 scoreline. The team from Mumbai were without Shabeer Bapu, but they did not let that affect them as Anup Kumar, with 8 points, guided his team to another victory.

Dabang Delhi got the first points of the match by tackling Anup Kumar to lead the team at the top of the Pro Kabaddi table 1-0. Kashiling Adake restored Delhi’s lead after the scores were levelled when Rohit Kumar Chaudhary was caught by the U Mumba defenders.

However, the league leaders, through their stellar defence and captain Anup Kumar, overturned their deficit and ended up leading 7-3 in the 9^th minute. The Dabangs were not going to take this lying down and they showed their quality when they took just 4 minutes to level the score at 7 each. Kashiling Adake starred yet again as both the teams were level at 10-10 in the 18^th minute.

In the final minute of the half, U Mumba suffered an all out when Pawan Kumar was tackled by the Dabang defence, led by Ravinder Pahal. The team who had won all their 7 matches this season looked in trouble at half-time as they trailed Delhi 11-15. Bhaskaran Edachery’s side needed something special to turn the score around and whatever he said at half-time worked as his boys ensured they started the second half of the league with yet another win.

Anup Kumar shines in the second half

U Mumba reduced Dabang Delhi’s lead to just 1 point after just 3 minutes in the second half, but Kashiling Adake helped his side restore the 4-point advantage (19-15) for the Dabangs. The young raider from Delhi completed 50 points in the second season of Pro Kabaddi in the process.

However, the MVP of season 1, Anup Kumar rallied his troops and he, along with Rishank Devadiga, put his team in the lead at 21-20 with 8 minutes left on the clock. With just 2 Dabang players left, Kashilin Adake was caught and Anup Kumar completed the rout in the resultant raid as the team from Mumbai led 25-20. The Mumbaikars have, on plenty occasions this season, taken the lead after the 30^th minute and they did not let it go till the end.

The U Mumba defenders stood firm at the back for the rest of the match. Vishal Mane showed his strength when he pushed Kashiling Adake all by himself in the 38^th minute to, all but confirm, U Mumba’s win. In the final minute, Ravinder Pahal was caught by the Mumbai defenders, while Rishank Devadiga failed to return back to his half as U Mumba completed the win 29-25.

U Mumba created history by becoming the only team in Pro Kabaddi history to win 8 matches in a row. The Dabangs will look to dust themselves off and stage a comeback at home against Bengal Warriors.

Man of the match: Anup Kumar