Noida, 11 November (Hindustan Reporter). In another thrilling encounter of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 11, U Mumba pulled off a thrilling 35-33 win over home team UP Yoddha at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Sunday. The win was especially significant as it came in the opening match of the Noida leg.
Despite UP Yoddha getting a Super 10 by Bharat Hooda, the combined raiding efforts of Ajit Chauhan and Rohit Raghav, who scored 8 runs each, proved decisive for U Mumba.
On the close encounter, U Mumba captain Sunil Kumar acknowledged the team's early struggles but praised their resilience. He said, “We made some mistakes in the beginning, but we did not let the lead go too far. But three crucial super tackles worked in our favor, preventing UP Yoddha from building a substantial lead.”
Kumar stressed the importance of fighting till the last minute, a philosophy which proved crucial in this victory. He said, “No matter what the lead is, we will have to fight till the last moment. “Even after 45 minutes have passed, we will keep fighting.”
This mentality paid off for U Mumba, as they maintained their composure in the crucial final minutes of the game. The captain also praised the new players in the team, especially Ajit and Rohit, who scored crucial runs towards the end of the game.
“The new players are performing well and scoring important points for the team,” Kumar said.
Looking ahead to his next challenges, Kumar stressed the importance of minimizing mistakes, especially against stronger opponents.
“We need to work on both defense and offense,” he said. “We have made some good tackles but we need to make sure we maintain this level of performance.”
The win demonstrated U Mumba's ability to handle pressure in close matches, a quality that could prove vital as the season progresses. The team's balanced performance, including effective raiding and strategic defending from Chauhan and Raghav, ultimately proved to be the difference in this close encounter.