The U Mumba side, led by Rinku, are fighting hard for a spot in the playoff rounds of Season 9 of the Pro Kabaddi League, and apart from a few slip-ups here and there, they've been in good form so far.
"Our defensive unit has been playing well so far in the tournament and we hope that can continue. When our defence and raiders work well, it reflects on our performance," said captain Rinku Kumar.
Talking about the camaraderie and combination with teammate Mohit, the skipper said, "Mohit has been playing well for us and that has helped the whole team also combine well in a way. In every training, we look to ensure that we don't make minor errors, so that our performance does not get affected.
Wins and points are the need of the hour for U Mumba if they're to line up in front of their home fans in the playoff stages this season, and coach Anil Chaprana said, "We need the points, and defeats will only add to the pressure. We must win all the games we have left, and we will try to do our best, and then see how things play out. UP Yoddhas are a good team but we will plan and play to win, it's as simple as that."
The UP Yoddhas have been a regular feature in the playoff rounds at the Pro Kabaddi League in recent seasons, and they're on the cusp once again. Star raider Pardeep Narwal will hope to pick up another bagful of points against a U Mumba side, who have a fair bit to do if they're to take the mat in front of their own fans in the next playoffs.
After that, the Gujarat Giants, who had the brilliant Parteek Dahiya to thank for a resounding win against the Puneri Paltan, will be hoping to spoil the party for the Patna Pirates. However, it won't be easy as the Patna Pirates still have a chance for a playoff berth.
The Haryana Steelers, meanwhile, take on the Bengal Warriors, with both teams in must-win situations. If Manjeet and Meetu get going the Bengal Warriors will have their task cut out, however, the duo of Maninder Singh and Shrikant Jadhav aren't alien to stealing their opponents' thunder, in this case, the Haryana Steelers.
( With inputs from ANI )
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