Aditya Shinde was in top form once again as Puneri Paltan brushed aside a resilient U Mumba 37-27 in Season 12 of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) at the SDAT Multi Purpose Indoor Stadium on Wednesday night. The season 10 champions delivered a strong performance, overcoming an early deficit thanks to Shinde’s exceptional raiding to secure the win.
U Mumba started the match brilliantly. The momentum began with a tackle by Rinku on Aslam Inamdar, followed by Ajit Chouhan’s Super Raid, which took down Gaurav Khatri, Pankaj Mohite, and Gurdeep. This gave U Mumba a commanding 4-0 lead before Aditya Shinde got Rinku on the mat, earning the first points for Puneri Paltan and waking up the defending champions.
Riding on Shinde’s form, Puneri Paltan fought back strongly. Shinde’s successful raids removed Lokesh Ghosliya and Parvesh Bhainswal, helping the team equalize at 5-5. However, U Mumba’s aggressive raiding ensured they completed the first quarter still in the lead.
In the second quarter, Puneri Paltan showcased why they are one of the most balanced teams this season. After allowing U Mumba to control the early exchanges, Puneri struck back with a combination of sharp raids and well-timed tackles. Aslam and Pankaj led the defense, combining to inflict the first All Out of the match and turning the momentum decisively in Puneri’s favor.
The intensity shift was clear as Puneri dominated the second quarter, moving with purpose and dictating the pace. They turned an early deficit into a 17–12 lead at halftime.
The third quarter kept the contest finely balanced, with Puneri maintaining a narrow one-point lead. U Mumba’s Ajit Chouhan continued his sensational run, consistently breaching Puneri’s defense and keeping his team within striking distance. His successful raids on Vishal Bhardwaj and Gurdeep highlighted his sharp instincts and composure under pressure.
For Puneri Paltan, Aditya Shinde stood tall once again, matching Ajit raid for raid and earning crucial points. Defenders Gurdeep and Abinesh Nadarajan also played key roles with important tackles at critical moments. As U Mumba threatened to regain momentum through Ajit’s dominance and Sandeep’s consistency, Puneri’s balanced approach kept the score tight at 22–21 with 10 minutes remaining.
A tackle by Amirmohammad Zafardanesh on Pankaj equalized the score for U Mumba, followed by Sandeep getting a touch on Rakesh. Both sides exchanged leads regularly, with neither team able to pull away.
A Super Tackle by Aditya Shinde gave Puneri the lead once more, which they capitalized on heading into the final five minutes. Holding a four-point advantage, Puneri stayed focused to avoid conceding silly points.
Aditya Shinde completed his Super 10 and reached 100 points in the PKL, a significant milestone. Following this, Anil scored a Bonus Point in a Do-Or-Die raid, keeping the match exciting until the very end.
In the final moments, an All Out inflicted on U Mumba by Aditya Shinde sealed a comprehensive 10-point victory for Puneri Paltan, capping off a dominant and well-earned performance.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/pkl-12-aditya-shinde-hit-his-straps-as-puneri-paltan-overcome-u-mumba
