Puneri Paltan will face U Mumba in the Pro Kabaddi League at the Thyagaraj Stadium in Delhi on Monday.
U Mumba are firm favourites going into this game. The team from Mumbai has been nothing short of imperious in this eight-team tournament as they sit atop the table with 23 points in five games. Furthermore, they are yet to lose a game.
Pune, with one win in four games, have not been in the best of forms. Victory, however, in a close game against Bengaluru Bulls on Sunday means some relief for them.
Anup Kumar-led U Mumba has been as aggressive as they can be with the skipper leading the way. Shabeer Bapu Sharfudheen has also been a star for U Mumba. The defence, which had a hard time against Telugu Titans - a game which they tied, has improved considerably. They somehow held off an in-form and dangerous Rakesh Kumar of Patna Pirates.
Attack is the best form of defence for the team from Mumbai. They have tried to seize the initiative from the very outset in most of their games. This strategy seems to be working for them as the opposition finds it very hard to come back into the game. Their last match against Bengal Warriors was no different as U Mumba lead 22-10 in the first half.
Anup was in fantastic form as Bengal were all over the place, trying to keep him away from making constant forays into their half. The defence too were alert to the Bengal attacks as they played stoutly.
Pune would have gained a lot of confidence after opening their account against Bengaluru on Sunday. The Bulls were the favourites to win but Pune held fort to sneak ahead and come out victorious 33- 31. Wazir Singh, their skipper, was impressive as he bagged a crucial point in the closing moments of the game.
In the game against Mumbai, Wazir will have to put in a similar performance. The Pune defence will have to be on their toes as U Mumba's attacking prowess is well-known.
Where to Watch Live:
U Mumba will play Puneri Paltan at 8.00 pm. Star Sports will air the match. Live coverage will comence on Star Sports HD 2 from 7.45 pm. This is the link for the live streaming option on starsports.com.
