U Mumba started the PKL as one of the favorites for the title this year and then proceeded to live up to that tag. Their dominance in the Pro Kabaddi League has only be challenged by the likes of the Gujarat Fortunegiants but they now face a tough opponent in U.P. Yoddha.
U Mumba has at its disposal the best raider of the Pro Kabaddi League, Siddharth Desai. There is no question that Siddharth Desai has changed the landscape of the raiders in the Pro Kabaddi League. His strength and speed, combined with an excellent understanding of Kabaddi strategy, makes him very difficult to stop.
If Siddharth Desai is in top form then he will carry U Mumba to victory, that is absolutely certain.
Siddharth Desai, though, will need some support from the U Mumba defense, Fazel Atrachali and Surender Singh have been the leaders of the U Mumba defense this season. Both of them have piled on the tackle points and made U Mumba a force to be reckoned with in the defense as well.
These two are going to have a tough time against the three U.P. Yoddha raiders which have hit fine form over the last few weeks.
U.P. Yoddha is coming into this contest red hot. The side managed to stay unbeaten in its last six matches and managed to confirm the last place in the Super Playoffs. We believe that the driving force behind the success of U.P Yoddha has been defender, Nitesh Kumar.
He has been an absolute revelation this season and is able to lock down the lead defender from the opposing side with ease. His contest against Siddharth Desai is going to electric and probably decisive to the outcome of the match.
Similarly, the three raiders in U.P Yoddha, Rishank Devadiga, Prashanth Kumar Rai, and Shrikanth Jadhav will know that getting past the U Mumba defense is not going to be easy but they will be buoyed by their success in the last match against them.
Prashanth Kumar Rai has been the best raider among these three and if he has a good outing then U.P Yoddha is most certainly in with a shot of causing a huge upset.
U. P. Yoddha and U Mumba have played each other three times in the past with U Mumba winning two of those matches. The most recent match was won by U.P Yoddha. The recent form of U.P. Yoddha has been incredible as they have been unbeaten in their last six matches. U Mumba, on the other hand, has won only one out of its last three matches.
We have followed a strategy of backing U Mumba to win in every single match that they have played so far and that has paid handsome returns. In this match, though, we are not sure that is the way to go.
U Mumba has been found wanting in pressure situations in the past. U.P.Yoddha, on the other hand, has been playing must-win matches for a few weeks now. Their current form gives them the edge.
Back U.P. Yoddha to win.