Pune: U Mumba delivered a dominant display against Tamil Thalaivas in Match 106 of PKL 11, winning 47-31 at the Badminton Hall in Balewadi Stadium on Wednesday. Led by Ajit Chouhan’s Super 10, Manjeet’s 9 points and Amirmohammad Zafardanesh’s 8-point game, they completed 15-point rout as they jump back to second place on the points table.
It was a rollicking start for U Mumba who were breathing fire in the first six minutes, rocketing to a 9-0 lead. Amirmohammad Zafardanesh and Ajit Chouhan came out all guns blazing to put Tamil Thalaivas under pressure from the get-go and inflicted an ALL OUT without wasting much time at all.
Tamil Thalaivas responded strongly after having their backs against the wall, courtesy Moein Shafaghi getting some momentum for his side. They inflicted an ALL OUT of their own, closing the gap to make it a close contest after a rapid start to the game.
The two teams went back and forth in the closing stages of the first half, before U Mumba imposed themselves on their opponents again. The season two champions got their noses in front once more, inflicting another ALL OUT to close out the first half with a scoreline of 22-14.
Moein Shafaghi got a couple of points on a Do-or-Die Raid early in the second half to try and give Tamil Thalaivas some momentum as they looked to close the gap on the opposition. However, he was fighting a lone battle as U Mumba kept hold of their eight-point lead heading into the final ten minutes of the contest.
Ajit Chouhan and Manjeet carried on their superb raiding form, while Amirmohammad Zafardanesh also contributed on both ends of the mat, ensuring U Mumba stay on top in this contest. Ajit Chouhan completed his Super 10 as his team extended their lead to 13 points with under five minutes to go.
U Mumba inflicted a third ALL OUT on the Tamil Thalaivas, putting the result of the game beyond all doubt with an unassailable lead as the clock ran down. They continued pile on the misery on Tamil Thalaivas, eventually completing a 15 point rout as they move to second place on the points table. Meanwhile, Tamil Thalaivas now find themselves in a difficult spot, needing to win all their remaining matches to have a chance of qualifying for the playoffs.
