U Mumba Edge Past Gujarat Giants in Tie-Breaker to Start PKL 12 with Thrilling Win

U Mumba started their campaign in the Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 with a thrilling win. The fourth match of PKL 12 against Gujarat Giants ended in a 29-29 draw, after which U Mumba won 6-5 in the tie-breaker. This match, held at Vishwanath Sports Club, reached the new tie-breaker rule for the second time in the first three matches of the season, which kept the audience thrilled till the last raid.

Captain Sunil Kumar praised the shootout format and called it an exciting and welcome change. Sunil said after the match, "The most important thing in the shootout is to stay calm. In such moments, you have to trust your instincts and play with your mind. That patience led us to victory today." On the crucial moment in the shootout with Gujarat's star defender Mohammadreza Shadlui, Sunil said, "It was a very tight contest. He tried to take points from me, but experience comes in handy on such occasions. Such matches show how the result is decided by a small margin."

Describing the team's tough win in the first match as important, Sunil said, "Winning the opening match in the shootout instills confidence in the team. It shows the strength and unity of our team and gives us confidence for the long season. The league has just started, but this win sets the right rhythm for us."

After registering a win in the first match, both Tamil Thalaivas and U Mumba will want to maintain their momentum. This time, Thalaivas' raiding line has players like Arjun Deshwal, who will prove to be a big challenge for the Sunil Kumar-led defense.

In the second match, defending champions Haryana Steelers will take on Bengal Warriors. This time the Warriors will be captained by Devank Dalal, who will be crucial for the team. On the other hand, Jaideep and his defense will want to start the Steelers' title campaign with a win. All eyes will also be on Naveen Kumar, who will play for a new team for the first time after six seasons.