Pro Kabaddi 2024: U Mumba's all-time PKL 7
U Mumba are considered among the successful franchises in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). They were particularly dominant during the early seasons of the league.
Under the captaincy of the legendary Anup Kumar, they won their maiden PKL title in Season 2 by defeating Bengaluru Bulls in the final. U Mumba have finished twice as runners-up, coming close to winning the trophy. Apart from this, they also have two more playoff appearances.
However, in recent seasons, they have found it difficult to make the playoffs. They finished 10th last season after a disappointing performance. Come Season 11, they will be hoping to turn things around.
U Mumba have been home to several greats of the game over the years. Here, we take a look at their all-time PKL 7.
U Mumba's all-time PKL 7
Mohit Chillar
Mohit Chillar was a pillar in U Mumba's defense during the early years. His prowess as a top defender were on display during the first three seasons of the league. Mohit played an instrumental role in the team's title victory in Season 2. Overall, he scored 123 tackle points for the franchise across three seasons and was a consistent performer in their defensive unit. It is only fair to say that Mohit played a key role in their early success in the initial seasons.
Rishank Devadiga
Rishank played a key role in U Mumba's success during his time with the team. He was the second-most successful raider in Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 3, showcasing his consistency across seasons. Over four seasons with the franchise, from Seasons 1 to 4, he accumulated an impressive 284 raid points. Rishank was also an integral part of their title-winning run in Season 2.
Shabeer Bapu
Shabeer Bapu played the first three seasons of the PKL for U Mumba. He then returned to the side for a stint in Season 5 as well. Shabeer scored a total of 160 raid points for the side during his time with them across four seasons combined. He was a vital member of their setup and contributed to their consistency in the initial seasons of the league.
Jeeva Kumar
Jeeva Kumar is among the legendary names when it comes to kabaddi. He was crucial to U Mumba's title-winning run in Season 2. Given his ability to pull off super tackles, he became one of their best-ever cover defenders. During his time with the franchise, Jeeva Kumar impressed with 112 tackle points as well.
Anup Kumar
No U Mumba all-time side can be complete with Anup Kumar being in it. He was the backbone of the team, shaping their success early on in the league. The kabaddi legend was responsible for taking the team to three finals and even guiding them to the trophy in Season 2. Anup scored 543 points from 78 games and was also the MVP in Season 1.
Vishal Mane
Defender Vishal Mane represented U Mumba for four seasons in his PKL career. He started off with them for the first three seasons and then returned to the team during Season 9. In total, Vishal Mane managed to score 63 tackle points for the franchise across his four seasons with them. Mane was a part of their title-winning squad in Season 2.
Fazel Atrachali
The best overseas player in the history of the league, Fazel was a key member of U Mumba, where he started off his PKL career in Season 2. He played five seasons for the team and is easily among the best defenders to have represented the Mumbai-based unit. With 259 tackle points for them overall, he was an important factor in their playoff appearances during Seasons 6 and 7.