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Post an incredible start to Pro Kabaddi 2019 at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad, action shifts to the grand city of Mumbai as hosts U Mumba kick-start their home leg against arch rivals Puneri Paltan in the first 'Maharashtrian Derby' of the season at the Dome@NSCI SVP Stadium in Mumbai.
U Mumba started the season on a fine note by defeating the hosts Telugu Titans in the opening fixture of the season through an impressive show from Abhishek Singh, who registered his first Super 10 while corner defenders Fazel Atrachali and Sandeep Narwal picked up four tackle points to their name.
However, in the second game, the new look Jaipur Pink Panthers gave U Mumba a serious run for their money and decimated Fazel Atrachali's side by a massive 19-point margin. With the latter playing their first match at their fortress, one can expect them to pose a stiff challenge to the Paltan.
Puneri Paltan, boasting of some superstars such as Surjeet Singh and Girish Maruti Ernak were left lamenting the absence of star raider Nitin Tomar from the team which faced off against the Haryana Steelers as they fell to a 24-34 loss to the Dharmaraj Cheralathan-led side.
This match will also see Anup Kumar, who captained U Mumba from season 1 to season 5 plot the downfall of his ex-team, with the seasoned veteran signing up for coaching the Puneri Paltan ahead of this season.
In head to head clashes, U Mumba enjoy an 8-5 lead over their neighbors, while the two teams have also played out a tie in the past. Can Fazel Atrachali lead his side to a win in their first encounter at home or will the Puneri Paltan get one over their state rivals?
Predicted starting 7s
U Mumba: Fazel Atrachali (c), Abhishek Singh, Rohit Baliyan, Sandeep Narwal, Surinder Singh, Young Chang Ko, Dong Geon Lee.
Puneri Paltan: Surjeet Singh (c), Manjeet, Pawan Kadian, Girish Ernak, Shubham Shinde, Amit Kumar, Shahaji Jadhav.
Match Prediction
U Mumba have always enjoyed playing at home and this will certainly hand them an advantage as they step on to the mat against familiar foes, the Puneri Paltan.
Pune's trusted defensive unit failed to arrive to the party against the Steelers and against the young raiding unit of U Mumba, the likes of skipper Surjeet Singh and Girish Ernak will need to rise to the occasion.
However, U Mumba will undoubtedly hold the edge as both the raiding and defensive units have contributed from the two games thus far and could be expected to pick up their second win of the season.
U Mumba could be expected to win this match.
Where and when to watch, live streaming details
Date: Saturday, 27th July 2019
Start time: 7.30 PM IST.
Venue: Dome@NSCI SVP Stadium, Mumbai.
Live telecast: Star Sports Network
Live streaming: Hotstar
Live updates: Sportskeeda
