The Pro Kabaddi League witnessed a night of drama and high-quality action in Chennai on Wednesday as Jaipur Pink Panthers staged a stunning comeback to edge Haryana Steelers 37-36, while U Mumba bounced back to form with a dominant 42-24 win over Tamil Thalaivas.
At the SDAT Multi-Purpose Indoor Stadium, the defending champions Panthers looked down and out when they trailed by 10 points midway through the game. But under coach Narender Redhu, they mounted a sensational final-quarter surge, outscoring the Steelers 17-8 in that period to seal a one-point victory.
Sahil Satpal was the standout performer for Jaipur with seven points, while Iranian raider Ali Samadi chipped in with six. Aryan Kumar and Deepanshu Khatri combined effectively in defence, each contributing four tackle points to halt Haryana’s momentum. For the Steelers, Vinay’s Super 10 and Rahul Sethpal’s High Five underlined strong individual efforts, but they were not enough to avoid back-to-back defeats.
The result carried added significance for Panthers coach Redhu, who had lost to Haryana and Manpreet Singh in last season’s PKL final while leading Patna Pirates. This win provided a measure of revenge, as well as crucial points for Jaipur, who climbed to fifth place on the table. Haryana, meanwhile, slipped to fourth after consecutive setbacks.
In the evening’s other clash, U Mumba produced a clinical performance to dismantle Tamil Thalaivas 42-24, ending their three-match losing streak in style. Sandeep was electric in attack, registering his third consecutive Super 10 of the season. He received excellent support from defenders Lokesh Ghosliya and Sunil Kumar, both of whom picked up High Fives to ensure U Mumba’s grip on the match never loosened.
Although Nitesh Kumar responded with a High Five for the Thalaivas, his efforts could not mask the team’s struggles across both ends of the mat. With raiding options failing to deliver consistently, Tamil Thalaivas were left chasing the game from early on.
The win lifted U Mumba to sixth in the standings, reigniting their campaign after a rough patch. For Tamil Thalaivas, however, the heavy defeat meant a drop to ninth place, leaving them with urgent questions to answer as the season progresses.
On a night when Jaipur showed grit and U Mumba rediscovered their spark, the PKL table saw a shake-up, promising more drama in the weeks to come.
