Chennai, Oct 2 U Mumba began their Chennai leg with a convincing 42-24 win against hosts Tamil Thalaivas at the SDAT Multi Purpose Indoor Stadium. The season 2 champions got back to winning ways after three consecutive losses, moving to sixth place on the points table as a result.
Reflecting on the win, U Mumba head coach Anil Chaprana stated, “After three losses, we had to motivate the players. I know that they have no shortcomings. If we play to our strengths, we can defeat any team. So, as a coach, it’s our job to motivate them and encourage them to play their own game. In practice, they saw the mistakes they were making and addressed them. They practiced with a lot of heart and played well today.”
Sandeep Kumar completed his Super 10 on the night, while Sunil Kumar also completed his High Five to lead his team to victory. As the league now gears up for Revenge Week, the spotlight is on U Mumba and Gujarat Giants as they prepare for battle on Thursday.
The reverse fixture saw U Mumba clinch a thrilling tie-breaker (6-5) after the teams were tied at 29-29 after regulation time. Reflecting on that game, Sunil recalled, “It was our first match in the league and it was a very good game. We won in the tiebreaker because Shadloui made a mistake. They (Gujarat Giants) played well, we also played well, that's why the match went to a tiebreaker.”
“It was Shadloui’s mistake. I don't think he will make the same mistake again in the next match. I went to give him one point, he thought he could get two or three points, but he trapped himself. However, I don't think he will make the same mistake again. If he (Shadloui) repeats his mistake, we’ll tackle him”, he warned.
The rivalry between Sunil Kumar and Mohammadreza Shadloui will be the centre of attention in this contest. However, the U Mumba captain played down the personal feud, highlighting how kabaddi is a team sport.
“I don't believe that it’s Shadloui against Sunil. That became the case in the last match, but that game is done. Now, it’s Gujarat Giants vs U Mumba. It’s not an individual sport, it is a team game. The team that plays well and makes less mistakes will win.”
“Shadloui will come to win, we will also come to win. If he wants revenge, then no problem. If we play like today's match, then we will win”, Sunil concluded.
Please find below the previews for the PKL Season 12 matches on Thursday, October 2:
With four wins in their last five matches, Puneri Paltan will want to continue building on that momentum as they look to stay in the battle for a top two spot. They’ll be up for a stern test when they come up against a Bengaluru Bulls side that will be eager to bounce back after their tie-breaker loss to UP Yoddhas.
Gujarat Giants will be taking on U Mumba in the second game, with the clash focusing on Revenge Week in the PKL. While the limelight will be on Mohammadreza Shadloui and Sunil Kumar, both teams will want to make it back-to-back wins as they aim to climb the poins table.
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