Match number 56 saw hosts U Mumba take on Delhi-based franchise Dabang Delhi at the NSCI SVP Stadium, Mumbai. The last league match of season 4 of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi had rewards for both the teams with U Mumba fighting for the top place in the league standings and the Eagles to displace Bengaluru Bulls at the 7th place in the standings. The hosts defeated the Eagles comfortably 36-20 and secured another home win their campaign.
It was the Eagles who drew first blood by getting star raider Anup Kumar out in his very first raid of the match via a waist hold by an in-form Sandeep Dhull. However, Rishank Devadiga brought U Mumba back in the lead with two touch points in the very next raid. In the next few minutes, Anup Kumar, Anil Nimbolkar and Rakesh Kumar exchanges some points following successful raids from the sides, and thus kept the scoreboard ticking.
The Eagles dig in deep and slowed the pace of the game in order to counter the flow of points but the experienced duo of Anup Kumar and Rishank Devadiga kept the scoreboard ticking by some clever touch points to finish the half 15-8 in their favour.
HT: U Mumba 15 - 8 Dabang Delhi
The home side started the second half by inflicting the first all-out of the match on the Eagles by getting Selvamani K out and increased their lead to 19-9. The duo of Rakesh Kumar and Rishank Devadiga scored in regular intervals to increase the hosts lead to 24-13 with 12 minutes left to play in the second half.
The visitors tried hard to fight back by inflicting super tackles on Rakesh Kumar and Anup Kumar in hosts’ consecutive raids to reduce the gap to 9 points. However, Rishank had his own plans for the night as he continued to score points and inflicted the second all-out of the match on the Eagles to take the match away from the Delhi-based franchise.
In the last few minutes, the hosts kept their lead intact and won the match comfortably 36-20 and with this win, they moved on to the top of the league standings replacing Patna Pirates at the summit.
