MUMBAI: With both U Mumba and Jaipur Pink Panthers backed by Bollywood owners, the game almost played out like a film script when the Pro-Kabaddi caravan rolled into Mumbai on Friday. Hosts Mumbai, 19-37 down at one point, almost made the improbable heroic turnaround but just ran out of time, going down 36-39 eventually to their keen rivals.
It has been one of the marquee match-ups of the League, with two of Indian kabaddi’s stalwarts – Anup Kumar and Jasvir Singh—leading the teams. The two teams had contested the first-ever PKL match in 2014 and played the title clash that season. Pink Panthers’ Jasvir Singh isn’t the most popular guy in locker rooms and he played the bad guy to the hilt at Mumbai’s home ground. Not only did he bring back 10 points for the Jaipur franchise, but he repetitively riled up the Mumbai players.
The teams reached a boiling point when Jasvir, having been caught by the only two players on the mat, Anup Kumar and Kuldeep Singh, refused to leave the mat. He claimed foul play but the TV reviews went in Mumbai’s favour, awarding the hosts two points for the Super Tackle.
“Maybe he should have been given a yellow card for that,” said U Mumba captain Anup Kumar. “He deliberately kneed Kuldeep in the stomach to get out of that hold.” Even after the game, Jasvir was seen engaged in conversation with Kuldeep, and Anup had to separate the two.
In their trump player Manjeet Chillar’s absence, Jasvir has taken upon himself to steer the team. And he walked the talk against Mumbai, effecting two all-outs for his team.
In the first half, with the teams going neck and neck, the burly Jasvir gave his team the momentum as he took out all the three defenders on the mat to bag five points.
U Mumba meanwhile are a pale shadow of the team from the first three seasons. The team lacked energy and seemed completely lost—they went down 19-37 by the 29th minute. Anup Kumar was left to do the raiding, and also took up the responsibility of defending the right corner. One of their most experienced raiders Shabeer Bapu was left on the bench since he is carrying a knee injury.
deepti@newindianexpress.com