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Mumbai, July 21st
Who will Maharashtra support come 21st July when the 2 franchises from the state of Maharashtra, U Mumba and Puneri Paltan, face off at the Dome @ NSCI SVP stadium at 8 pm. U Mumba registered their third victory in a row, an emphatic win over Patna Pirates while Puneri Paltan lost their first match against Telugu Titans on Monday.
While their fortunes were poles apart last season with U Mumba finishing finalists to champions Jaipur Pink Panthers, Puneri Paltan will hope to reverse their last place finish from last season. Season 2 promises to be a fresh start for both teams especially with Puneri Paltan sporting a new look.
U Mumba fell at the last hurdle in last season’s pursuit of the coveted title of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi, but have begun this season in spirited fashion. With U Mumba overcoming defending champions Jaipur Pink Panthers in a strong performance and wiping out Bengaluru Bulls on Sunday, Puneri Paltan captain Wazir Singh would have been observant of their derby rival team’s performance during his time in the stadium on Sunday.
Coach Ashok Shinde has reiterated their motto of being slow and steady for this season and not to set high expectations. Along with this motto, the Pune based team also will also play with the slogan ‘Gheuntak’ to accompany their improved outlook on Season 2. While U Mumba trounced Puneri Paltan in both derby fixtures last season, both teams will not depend on those results when they face each other on Tuesday.
The Pune team will be eager to see how their new recruits raider Mahipal, all-rounder Ravi Kumar (both Western Railways), defender Vijendra (Northern Railway) shape up on the day. U Mumba will be glad to have their star raider, Shabeer Bapu, back in form after a scintillating performance vs Bengaluru Bulls along with their rising star, Mohit Chillar, who will dominate the right cover. But one thing is for sure, come Tuesday, the whole of Maharashtra will be cheering for the sport of kabaddi.
Watch Season 2 of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi LIVE on Star Sports 2, 3, HD2 and HD3 from 7:50pm onwards.
