Pro Kabaddi: Spirited U Mumba reign supreme

They had dominated the league stage with 12 wins in 14 games. A semifinal win over the Patna Pirates was achieved without breaking much sweat. Saving their best for the last, U Mumba delivered when it mattered most by beating the Bengaluru Bulls 36-30 in the final of the Pro Kabaddi League at the NSCI Stadium in Worli here on Sunday.

Backed by their vociferous supporters, the win displayed how badly U Mumba, last year’s runners-up, wanted to do one better. Instead of steamrollering sides like they did in their amazing run to the final, the Anup Kumar led-side opted for cautious approach this time round.

An elated Kumar pointed towards the crowd as he held the trophy aloft. “One year has gotten over so fast. We were on the other side (of the final scoreline). This win is for the fans. More importantly, today (Sunday) was a completely different performance from U Mumba. Not only did we show that we have a ‘Plan B’, but we also proved that I’m not the only one who earns the points for the side,” said Kumar, who hailed Shabeer Bapu and Rishank Devadiga for their contributions.

U Mumba took the safety-first approach because their top trio of raiders — Kumar, Bapu and Devadiga — were slightly below par against the Bulls. Only Bapu registered a successful raid percentage of more than 40. With ‘Plan A’ not paying dividends, it was their defence, led by Vishal Mane, which raked up the points as the first half ended with U Mumba leading 16-8.