Pro Kabaddi League 2017 Season 5: Five talking points from Day 27 of PKL 5

#4 Captains lead the way for Mumba and Dabang

Anup Kumar of U Mumba put in a captain's effort on the night

After Surjeet's stellar showing for the Bengal Warriors in the first game of the night, the captains continued to shine in the second. Both Anup Kumar and Meraj Sheykh had Super 10s as they led the way for U Mumba and Dabang Delhi respectively.

Meraj hasn't reached the heights of his previous seasons thus far in Season 5. Tonight though, he looked hungry. The flamboyance was back, the restless movement was back, the spring in his step was back.

It translated nicely in his performances as he picked up a Super 10 finishing with 11 points on the night. It wasn't just the points, it was the smarts that he showed as well. With the first half winding down and his side leading 15-13, Meraj looked to be taking back an empty raid. However, just before he could cross the mid-line, he noticed Kuldeep advancing towards him and went back for a quick touch that caught the Mumba defender unawares.

A lot of defences tend to do this; on this occasion though, they were punished. Meraj also had the number of Surinder Singh and Hadi Oshtorak, key defenders of the Mumba side.

Like his counterpart, Anup gave it his all in an attempt to salvage something for his side. His side were always in touch, but couldn't quite get over the hump in the end. Anup matched Meraj on the night with 11 raid points, but his points came off fewer raids, just 17 which showcased a greater conversion rate.

With his defence leaking points, it was the raiding department that needed to prop up his side. Ultimately, the burden proved too much and it was a narrow loss for his side by one point.