U Mumba stormed into the top four of the Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 points table with a commanding 40-25 victory over Gujarat Giants at the SDAT Multi Purpose Indoor Stadium in Chennai on Thursday. Star raider Sandeep Kumar stole the show with 16 raid points, while Rinku and Sunil Kumar secured High 5s to lead a near-flawless defensive performance.
First Half: Sandeep Sets the Tempo
The match began with U Mumba asserting authority early on, racing to a 10-6 lead by the 10th minute. While Rakesh and Ankit Dahiya tried to keep the Giants in the contest, U Mumba’s balanced attack – led by Ajit Chouhan and Amirmohammad Zafardanesh – gave them the edge.
Sandeep carried over his blistering form, bagging five points in as many raids, including crucial dismissals of Nitin Panwar and Mohammadreza Shadloui. Despite Dahiya’s spirited resistance, U Mumba tightened their grip when Sandeep inflicted the first ALL OUT, dismissing Shadloui and Rohit Nandal to stretch the lead. By halftime, U Mumba were cruising at 23-11.
Second Half: Mumba Defence Closes the Door
The second half saw no let-up from U Mumba. Defensive stalwarts Rinku and Sunil Kumar shut down the Giants’ raids with sharp tackles, while Sandeep continued to pick up points at will. Giants introduced Parteek Dahiya for attacking spark, but he was quickly neutralised.
Another ALL OUT in the ninth minute of the half all but sealed the result, with U Mumba storming ahead 33-16. From there, the Mumbai side controlled the pace, mixing smart raids with disciplined defending to deny any late Giants surge.
Final Whistle: Statement Win for U Mumba
Sandeep, supported ably by Ajit and Anil in attack, kept the scoreboard ticking as U Mumba closed out a clinical 40-25 win. Despite late substitutions, Gujarat Giants failed to find momentum, struggling with empty raids and missed tackles.
This emphatic result not only boosts U Mumba to fourth place on the PKL 12 table but also reinforces their growing reputation as one of the league’s most balanced outfits – equally strong in attack and defence.