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Pro Kabaddi 2019, U Mumba v Gujarat Fortune Giants: 5 talking points from the match

Rohit Baliyan's super raid was a crucial moment in the game
Rohit Baliyan's super raid was a crucial moment in the game

U Mumba ended their home leg with a fine win over rivals Gujarat Fortune Giants, notching up a 32-20 scoreline to earn the bragging rights in the Western derby. Surinder Singh was the star of the show for the Mumbai side, picking up a High 5 in defence and adding the icing on the cake with an improbable four-point super raid in the dying moments of the game.

After a tight first half, U Mumbai wrested the initiative from the opposition through Rohit Baliyan's super raid - his team's first of the season. Gujarat looked to fight back but the hosts held their nerve in critical situations to pick up the five points.

As a result, they have now leapfrogged Gujarat and made their way to the top of the table with 17 points but have played a number of games more than their rivals. For Gujarat though, it was a first defeat of the campaign as the season's tagline 'Iss se touch kuch nahi' continues to be dead accurate.


#5 Surinder Singh and Abhishek Singh on fire at the start

Abhishek Singh top-scored on the raiding front for U Mumba
Abhishek Singh top-scored on the raiding front for U Mumba

The half-time score read 9-7 in U Mumba's favour and astonishingly, eight of the points of the Mumbai-based side were split equally between the two Singhs - Surinder Singh and Abhishek Singh. The duo combined in fine style to help their team start strong in what was billed as a crucial encounter against a formidable opposition.

Surinder - the cover defender, who can be a tad wasteful in his tackling and timing, was flawless in the first 20 minutes against Gujarat. The man from Himachal recorded a 100% strike rate, scoring four tackle points from four attempts as the Fortunegiants' raiders just could not hold their own against him.

Abhishek picked up four points as well, three of which came while raiding. His successful do-or-die raid in the dying moments of the first half ensured that his team went into the break with the advantage.

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