Telugu Titans overcame some nervy moments to beat former champions U Mumba 37-32 in an inter-zone challenge of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 5 at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium here on Saturday.
The pendulum shifted either way with both teams going all out in the first half of the game before Titans, coming into the match on the back of a heavy defeat, won their second match of the season.
Skipper Rahul Chaudhuri (13 raid points) and Sombir Shekhar (8 tackle points) starred for Titans as U Mumba faltered in the crucial moments to suffer their fourth loss of the season.
Rahul started the proceedings with a touch point to give his team an early lead before being brought down crashing by the U Mumba defenders to level scores at 1-1.
Shabeer Bapu, the star of Friday's win against U.P. Yoddha, gave Mumbai an early lead along with his skipper Anup Kumar. But their joy was shortlived as Rahul once again proved why he is regarded as one of the best raiders, winning three points with a super raid to make it 5-4 in their favour.
The Titans inflicted an all out in the ninth minute to lead 12-7 before U Mumba's Anup used all his experience to reduce the gap as the score at the end of the first half read 15-19 in favour of the Hyderabad side.
Coming after the break, Titans opened a nine-point gap in the 27th minute to lead 27-18. U Mumba got back in the game, thanks to their raiders who got their act together. The Mumbai side went on an eight-point run, tying the game at 27-27 in the 32nd minute, including an all out of Titans in the 30th minute.
Just when it seemed like the Titans had run out of steam, Rahul scored with a two-point raid in the 34th minute to get back the lead 31-28.
Sombir was colossal at the back for Titans and scored seven points in the first 30 minutes. With less than five minutes to go, Rahul scored two quick raid points to give Titans a 34-30 lead.
In the dying moments of the match, Titans inflicted an all out to seal the match in style.
--IANS
tri/pur/bg
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