PKL 12: Key player battles to watch out for in Match 5, Tamil Thalaivas vs U Mumba

Tamil Thalaivas’ stellar raiding unit will face U Mumba’s experienced defence.

Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 (PKL 12) has taken off spectacularly with a series of exciting encounters. In the fifth match on August 31, 2025, Tamil Thalaivas will face U Mumba. Both will play their second match of the league, following an interesting start to the season.

Tamil Thalaivas are coming in this match after a spectacular win against Telugu Titans. Arjun Deshwal and Pawan Sehrawat shone in their opening encounter, along with Suresh Jadhav and Himanshu in the supporting role.

Thalaivas’ raiding unit is undoubtedly the best this season, and in the upcoming encounter, they will face one of the best defensive units of this season.

Can the experienced defensive unit of U Mumba dominate the best raiding unit of the season? We will find out soon, but here are a few player battles that might decide the way for the winners.

Ajit Chouhan vs Nitesh Kumar

Ajit Chouhan made a remarkable debut in Pro Kabaddi League Season 11, where he proved to be the main raider of Mumba for the season.

Continuing what he built in the previous season, he will remain the primary raider of the team and is expected to elevate his performance. In PKL 11, Chouhan scored 9 Super 10s in 23 matches and clinched 185 raid points.

In the second encounter of the season, Mumba will be against the Thalaivas, whose defence has a lot to prove this season. Thalaivas retained Nitesh Kumar, who was the most successful defender for them in PKL 11. He will have the responsibility once again to score.

In the first match of the season, Nitesh had a below-average outing. He was able to score only 2 tackle points. However, he will be expected to take responsibility in the upcoming matches.

Also Read: PKL 12: Tamil Thalaivas vs U Mumba prediction, possible starting 7, head-to-head & free live stream

Pawan Sehrawat vs Sunil Kumar

The battle of the captains. In the last match for the Thalaivas, Pawan Sehrawat made a significant contribution in the second half, which led the Thalaivas to victory.

Sehwrawat wasn’t able to get his first point for most of the match, but ended up with 9 points, which is a good sign for him. His skill sets are never a question, but his fitness and current form will be something to keep an eye on.

On the other hand, Sunil Kumar will be a challenge for Sehrawat. Kumar is the most successful captain of the Pro Kabaddi and one of the most experienced defenders in the season.

He has 390 tackle points in 160 matches, including 23 High 5s. If he can lead his defending unit to play in good combinations, he might stop the raiding force of the Thalaivas and get a win against them.

Arjun Deshwal vs Parvesh Bhainswal

Arjun Deshwal is one of the raiders to look out for in this season, and he proved the reason in the first match. Deshwal cruised in the attacking mode and quickly got his Super 10 to put the opposition under pressure. He will be once again expected to play his attacking gam, and get U Mumba’s defence under pressure.

On the other hand, Parvesh Bhainswal, another experienced campaigner, will have to take the responsibility alongside Sunil Kumar to stop this raiding force. Bhainswal plays tremendously alongside Kumar, and their combination might be the key to their success against the Thalaivas’ attack.

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