Sunil Kumar aims to bring trophy back to Mumbai after tying record for most wins as PKL captain

Sunil Kumar with Mumba coach Mazandarani

U Mumba captain Sunil Kumar scripted history after his team clinched a thrilling win against the Bengaluru Bulls, with the scoreline of 34-32 at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Monday.

Kumar equalled Fazel Atrachali's record for most wins as a captain in Pro Kabaddi League history, with both players having 73 wins to their name as captain.

Shedding light on his thoughts after etching his name in the history books, he said, "No, I wasn't thinking about the record before the game because I didn't remember it. I only wanted to get the win for the team. It was important to win because teams like Jaipur Pink Panthers, Puneri Paltan and Telugu Titans are close to us in the points table. So, it was crucial to win today. I never thought about equalling a record or anything along those lines."

He also put forward his ambitions for the remainder of the season, expressing his desire to win the trophy for U Mumba. "U Mumba haven't won the trophy since the second season and haven't been able to make it to the playoffs in the last 3-4 seasons. So, the aim is to qualify and win the trophy for U Mumba," Sunil Kumar said.

Also Read: Mumba coach Mazandarani hails Ajit Chouhan as the ‘raider to watch' in PKL

The captain mentioned how his team have been performing well for most parts this season, while also addressing areas they need to focus on to improve ahead of their next game against the Telugu Titans. "It's great for the team that we are in second place now. However, the team's performance for the first 35 minutes was impressive. We played well in that period, but after that we didn't play that well.

"We're making the same mistake in every game. In the last five minutes of matches, the team is giving away more points and the raiders are getting caught. The good thing is that Manjeet is finding his form now. He did a Super Tackle and got us two points to win us the game," he added.

With some time to reflect on the feat he had just achieved, Sunil Kumar said, "I'm happy with the record. Fazel is a senior player compared to me and has been in the league before me. Today, I've equaled his record as captain after this win. So, I'm really happy. I will continue to try and make sure the team wins matches, and I keep playing well."

Preview for matches on November 27

Showstopper Mohammadreza Shadloui will be in action in the first match of the day, which will see the Haryana Steelers go up against Puneri Paltan. Haryana Steelers sit at the top of the table with four wins in their last five matches and have been the in-form team so far this season. They'll be hoping to keep the momentum going against a Puneri Paltan side that have blown hot and cold recently and sit fourth on the tightly contested points table.

In the second game of the day, Dabang Delhi K.C. will take on the Patna Pirates. The two highest-scoring raiders in the league will go toe-to-toe when Ashu Malik and Devank face each other in this game. Dabang Delhi K.C. will coming into this contest with a six-match unbeaten streak, but only a point separates them from the Patna Pirates, who will be eager to get back to winning ways.