PKL — Image for representative purpose only

Bengaluru, February 5: The sensational comeback in the second half from the Tamil Thalaivas fell just short as U Mumba hung on to win 35-33 in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) 2021-22 season tie.

Abhishek Singh scored 10 points for U Mumba, while V Ajith Kumar played a handy supporting role and finished the game with seven.

With this win, U Mumba reclaimed their place in the top six of the points table.

PKL RESULTS | POINTS TABLE | REMAINING FIXTURES

U Mumba were off to a bright start and took a 5-2 lead, courtesy of three points from Abhishek and one each from Ajith and Fazel Atrachali. Rinku extended U Mumba's lead with another tackle point and reduced the Thalaivas to two players on the mat.

The Thalaivas managed to halt U Mumba's surge with a Super Tackle, but Ajith ensured U Mumba remained in the ascendancy with two quick touch points, which reduced Tamil to just a solitary player on the mat. U Mumba's defence took care of the final man to inflict an All Out and take a seven-point lead.

Abhishek Singh's two-point raid and some stellar tackling from the defence reduced the Thalaivas to just four players on the mat. The raider then delivered a Super Raid that sent three Thalaivas players to the bench and left them on the brink of an All Out. U Mumba's defence allowed the raider to pick up the bonus before pinning him down to inflict the game's first All Out and take a 13-point lead.

U Mumba finished the half on a 3-1 run to go into the break leading 26-11.

Atrachali's Ankle Hold on Athul MS reduced the Thalaivas to two players on the mat. But their defensive lynchpin Sagar Super Tackled Abhishek Singh to keep the All Out at bay. Manjeet added two more points to his team's total with a sensational Dubki before Surjeet Dashed Ajith off the mat to reduce U Mumba to just three men on the mat.

Ajinkya Pawar then showcased his magic. First, he picked up a touch point on Atrachali and then took out the remaining two players in the same raid to inflict an All Out on U Mumba.

Ajith's two-point raid ended the Thalaivas' surge and extended U Mumba's lead to nine, but the Thalaivas responded with a 5-2 run to cut U Mumba's lead to six.

Pawar's two-point raid then left U Mumba with a solitary man on the mat, and the Thalaivas defence took care of the raider to inflict an All Out and cut the gap on the scoreboard to just two points.

With the game hanging in the balance, U Mumba needed a moment of magic and skipper Atrachali came through. The Left Corner executed a perfect Ankle Hold on Pawar to push U Mumba's lead to three points. The Thalaivas' defence then tackled Abhishek, but in the subsequent raid, Harendra delivered the final blow with a solid block to end the contest.

Manjeet picked up a consolation point in the penultimate raid of the game, but it was U Mumba who secured the win.