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U Mumba beat home team Bengaluru Bulls 36-29 in a high octane clash at the Kanteerava indoor stadium. .
U Mumba’s rock solid defence deny Bulls
It was a slow start by both teams as Anup Kumar, Pardeep Narwal and Bhupender Singh returned with empty raids. Anup's successful raid in the fourth minute gave U Mumba a 3-1 lead. Bulls struck right back through Ashish Chhokar's successful raid and sending the visiting skipper Anup out in the next raid.
It was all U-Mumba over the next few minutes as Ashish, Ajay and Bulls skipper Manjit Chillar were sent out thanks to superb tackles by Surinder Nada to give the Mumbai side a 7-3 lead.
Anup was playing it safe opting for empty raids, while the U Mumba defence was doing all the work. Bulls made a remarkable comeback winning the next four points. Rishank Devadiga wasn't successful in his raid and gave Bulls two points. Dharmaraj Cheralathan pulled it back with another successful raid.
When Bhupender Singh was caught, it looked like Bulls had made a terrific comeback to level scores at 7-7. However, U Mumba had other plans in mind. Rajesh Mondal, who came in for Ashish Chhokar in the 10th minute couldn't add on to the score after an impressive tackle by U Mumba. What followed was absolute chaos as Ajay, Pardeep and Dharmaraj ended up with unsuccessful raids. It meant the home team were all out with the score reading 15-8 in favour of U Mumba.
Bulls managed to reduce the lead by a couple of points late in the first half thanks to an excellent tackle over Anup Kumar and a successful raid by Ajay.
At halftime, U Mumba led 18-13.
Manjit Chillar’s late heroics couldn’t save Bulls
The second half started in disastrous fashion for the home team after Ajay Thakur was caught by a very alert U Mumba defence.
U Mumba pulled away yet again after the home team failed to get any successful raid handing the visitors a comfortable 24-17 lead. Manjit Chillar, who spent most time off court than on it was successful in his raid giving Bulls a much needed point in the 31st minute.
Ajay Thankur's complacency in his raid cost the team a point, but more importantly meant that two crucial players for the Bulls, Ajay and Manjit were warming the bench.
Bulls were all out for the second time after Manjit Chillar was unable to hold onto Bhupender Singh, who gave U Mumba four points. The visitors led by 10 points at 34-24.
Manjit Chillar went on two quick successful raids reducing the deficit to eight points before U Mumba took a time out. Manjit Chillar went out after a super tackle by U Mumba defence extending their lead to nine points.
