Mumbai: Mumbai Che Raje started their group A match on a high, defeating Pondicherry Predators 33-30 in the Mysore leg of the Indo International Premiere Kabaddi league played at Chamundi Vihar Stadium in Mysore on Sunday. Mumbai Che Raje and Pondicherry Predators, playing each other for the first time chose to start the 1st quarter cautiously.
Both teams went back and forth before ending the low scoring first quarter at 6-6. Mumbai Che Raje started the 2nd quarter strong, taking 4 back to back points to race to a 10-6 lead. Mahesh helped Mumbai Che Raje inflict an all-out and extend the lead to seven points at 14-7 with six minutes to go.
A late surge from Pondicherry Predators saw them scoring 5 points to end the second quarter 16-12 in favour of the Mumbai team. The 3rd quarter saw an interesting strategy from both teams with most points being scored in a do or die raid. Mumbai Che Raje defenders did well to choke the scoring options for the opposition helping their team maintain the lead at 20-16 with two minutes to go. A last-minute super tackle helped Pondicherry score three points but Mumbai Che Raje maintained a five-point lead at 23-19 going into the final quarter.
Mumbai started the final quarter with Manveera’s two-point raid, enforcing another all out to take an eight-point lead at 28-20. Pondicherry raiders scored 4 back to back points to give their team a fighting chance but Mumbai Che Raje was in the driving seat with a six-point lead at 31-25 with less than two minutes to go. Pondicherry Predators went all out in the end but the lead was too big to surpass and Mumbai Che Raje won the tie 33-30, securing their 2nd victory in a row.
