U Mumba defeat Gujarat Giants in thriller, Bengal Warriors go past Dabang Delhi in PKL 9

Guman Singh led with 12 points in the match.

Bengal Warriors' put up a strong fight as they halted the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) season 9 table toppers Dabang Delhi in the second match of a double-header Wednesday. However, that was after U Mumba had stopped Gujarat Giants from getting a third consecutive win with a 37-29 win. With their win, Bengal Warriors and U Mumba both moved up to the top six. Bengal Warriors beat Dabang Delhi 35-30.

In the earlier match, U Mumba and Gujarat Giants played out a fascinating neck-to-neck contest in the first 30 minutes of the match. But, an inspiring performance by the Mumbai defense unit helped its team pull away with a massive lead. Eventually, the raiders ensured that U Mumba walked off the mat as winners. Raiders Guman Singh and Heidarali Ekrami contributed a total of 22 points in the match.

Rakesh and Guman Singh picked up raid points for each of their teams as both sides kept trading points in the first ten minutes of the match. However, Rakesh reduced the Mumbai side to two players on the mat in the 10th minute. But, Mumba managed to stay in the game after they tackled Rakesh in his very next raid and took the lead at 10-8.

Mohit carried out a SUPER TACKLE in the 15th minute as U Mumba widened their lead. However, Gujarat's raider Parteek Dhaiya stepped up his game and helped his team level the scores at 14-14. Both teams went into the half-time break being locked at 16-16.

Gujarat Giants and U Mumba continued to carry out a neck-to-neck battle as the scoreline read 20-20 in the 25th minute. Sandeep Kandola tackled Heidarali Ekrami, but soon after, U Mumba Captain Surinder Singh tackled Parteek Dhaiya. Both teams kept matching each other in each move. However, Rakesh pulled off a fantastic raid in the 28th minute and helped his team take the lead at 24-22.

But, moments later, U Mumba tackled Rakesh and regained the lead at 27-25. The U Mumba defense unit led by Surinder and Mohit continued to tackle raiders and helped their team take a massive lead at 30-25. The Mumbai side extended their lead even further after inflicting an ALL-OUT in the 35th minute. U Mumba kept raging on and eventually closed out a comprehensive victory.

PKL 9 Day 17 Match 2: Dabang Delhi 30-35 Bengal Warriors

Buoyed by a brilliant defensive performance, Bengal Warriors beat Dabang Delhi K.C. 35-30 in the second game of the evening at the Shree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium in Bengaluru. While the star raiders of both teams, Maninder Singh and Naveen Kumar got 10 points each, the difference were the Warriors defenders Vaibhav Garje (6 points) and Girish Maruti Ernak (5 points).

Right off the bat, Naveen Kumar revealed his gameplan, targeting the Warriors' Girish Maruti Ernak in their left corner, and even touched him out with the very first raid of the evening. The two teams traded blows constantly from there on, Naveen's raids matched by Maninder Singh at the other end. It looked like Delhi may be able to effect an all-out on the Warriors in the 11th minute. However, a SUPER TACKLE on Naveen, by Vaibhav Garje, turned the momentum on Bengal's side.

Suddenly from there, the Warriors seized control, with their defence holding strong and taking out Delhi's second and third raiders Manjeet and Ashu Malik on DO-OR-DIE raids. They went into the break with a slender 15-13 lead.

The Warriors were, by far, the more energetic in the opening minutes of the second half, and with barely five minutes gone, Ajinkya Kapre's SUPER RAID caught out Ashu Malik, Vijay Kumar, Krishan, leaving Naveen as the sole Delhi player on the mat. On his very next raid, he was tackled out as the Warriors effected the first ALL-OUT of the match and took a 23-18 lead.

Garje, in particular, was brilliant in the second half. His superb defending ensured that the Warriors kept extending their lead. Despite Delhi's attempt at mounting a comeback in the dying minutes, the Warriors held on to their lead and earned a much-needed win.

The Bengal Warriors-Dabang Delhi K.C. encounter was the last game of the Bengaluru leg. The vivo Pro Kabaddi League Season 9 will move to Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi, Pune on Friday.