Thalaivas records dominant 34-20 win over U Mumba

HYDERABAD: Tamil Thalaivas played like a champion outfit, vanquishing U Mumba 34-20 in Season 9 of the Pro Kabaddi League here on Tuesday.

This is Thalaivas’ second successive win following its 35-30 victory over Bengal Warriors on Monday. The win, Thalaivas’ seventh this season from 16 matches, helped the team from Tamil Nadu move up to fifth in the standings with 48 points. With six more matches remaining, Thalaivas will be confident of making it to the play-offs for the first time.

Thalaivas captain, Sagar Rathee, once again produced his best under intense pressure finishing with eight points and coming up with a couple of brilliant ‘Super Tackles’ early on in the match. Young raider Narender was equally impressive especially at ‘Do-or-Die’ raids. He bagged seven points in all.

Thalaivas was slow to start off with, not opening its account until the 4th minute when Ajinkya Pawar fetched two points. From then on, points kept raining for Thalaivas as it effected its first ‘All Out’ in the eighth minute to take a sizeable lead at 10-3. U Mumba raider Guman Singh had an off-day as did several of his teammates. At half-time, the scoreline was 18-10 in Thalaivas favour.

The second half was a spitting image of the first in which there was no let-up in Thalaivas’ intensity and U Mumba just couldn’t cope with the mounting pressure. Thalaivas defenders Sahil Gulia and M Abishek also chipped in with valuable tackle points.

With just four minutes remaining, and the result almost certain, Thalaivas inflicted its second ‘All Out’ on U Mumba to romp to a 32-18 lead. It’s been quite a turnaround for the Thalaivas after a disastrous start to the season and it will next take on the in-form Jaipur Pink Panthers on November 25.

In the evening’s second match, three-time champion Patna Pirates defeated host Telugu Titans 36-35 in a game that went all the way down to the last raid. Patna moved up to sixth in the table with 47 points on the back of its seventh victory. Titans, meanwhile, put up a good fight but ended up losing by a solitary point.

It still has just two wins to its credit after 17 matches but its fans will be encouraged after a competitive showing in its home leg so far.

RESULTS: Tamil Thalaivas 34 bt U Mumba 20; Patna Pirates 36 bt Telugu Titans 35