Pro kabaddi: U Mumba tame Bulls

Raiders Anup Kumar (nine points) & Shabeer Bapu (10 points) ensure hosts beat Bengaluru 36-23 to register second straight win in PKL's Season-2

If U Mumba's raiders Anup Kumar and Shabeer Bapu had a quiet opening night on Saturday against Jaipur Pink Panthers, then yesterday they showed just why they were the engines behind the team reaching the final of Pro Kabaddi League-1.


Well caught: U Mumba's defenders capture a Bengaluru Bulls raider during a Pro Kabaddi League Season-2 match at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium in Worli yesterday. Pic/Atul Kamble 

Anup scored nine points while Shabeer tallied 10 points to lead the hosts to a 36-23 victory over Bengaluru Bulls at Worli's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium in the National Sports Club of India yesterday.

Anup had just four points while Shabeer had three as Mumbai beat Jaipur 29-28 on Saturday. Yesterday, Mumbai's star raiders showed their superiority to take Mumbai into half-time leading 19-12.

At one point in the first half, the Bangalore franchise edged ahead to take a three-point lead (10-7). However, Mumbai soon caught up with the visitors at 12-12 and left Bangalore in their slipstream. The hosts, in fact, racked up a 15-point lead (30-15) at the 30-minute mark.

Shabeer Bapu was adjudged the Best Raider of the Match. His teammate Mohit Chillar picked up the Best Defender of the Match, while Surender Nada scooped up the Man of the Match award. Anup heaped praise on Shabeer after the match.

"Shabeer is the lion of kabaddi. Despite having an injury to his hand, he played like he did. I don't think anyone could have played like that," Anup said, before adding that keeping the Bangalore outfit's most potent player, Ajay Thakur, in check was the reason why the Mumbai franchise had such a huge margin of victory.

U Mumba will take on Patna Pirates today. In the yesterday's earlier clash, Telegu Titans defeated Dabang Delhi 36-27.

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