Two teams with contrasting fortunes clash in Match 72 of PKL 12 as second-placed Puneri Paltan host resurgent U Mumba in the Maharashtra Derby. Aditya Shinde's remarkable efficiency faces Sandeep's extraordinary Super 10 streak, whilst Gaurav Khatri and Vishal Bhardwaj's corner dominance meets Sunil Kumar's resurgent form in a battle of the league's two best defensive units.

Probable Starting 7

Puneri Paltan

  • Right Corner – Gaurav Khatri
  • Right In – Aditya Shinde
  • Right Cover – Abinesh Nadarajan
  • Centre – Pankaj Mohite
  • Left Cover – Gurdeep
  • Left In – Aslam Inamdar (C)
  • Left Corner – Vishal Bhardwaj

U Mumba

  • Right Corner – Rinku
  • Right In – A Zafardanesh
  • Right Cover – Sunil Kumar (C)
  • Centre – Sandeep
  • Left Cover – Parvesh Bhainswal
  • Left In – Ajit Chouhan
  • Left Corner – Lokesh Ghosliya

Headlines

➢ Match between the two best defensive units of PKL 12

➢ Puneri Paltan are second in the table with 9 wins in 12 games

➢ Pune had a hard-fought win over Jaipur Pink Panthers in the last game

➢ Aditya Shinde was great, had another Super 10

➢ Pankaj Mohite has been supporting well in recent games

➢ Corners Gaurav Khatri and Vishal Bhardwaj in great form

➢ U Mumba won back-to-back matches to reach 4th place in table

➢ Sandeep has taken the role of lead raider, and had 15 raid points in the last game

➢ Captain Sunil Kumar came to form with a High 5, had 7 tackle points

➢ Had good support from veteran Rinku, who also had a High 5

Top Stories of the Match

Battle of Two of the Best Defences in the League This Season

This encounter features two defensive units at the peak of their powers, as Puneri Paltan and U Mumba possess the top two best average tackle points per match in PKL 12 – setting the stage for a defensive masterclass.

Best average tackle points in PKL 12:

  • Puneri Paltan: 11.8 average
  • U Mumba: 11.5 average
  • Tamil Thalaivas: 11.2 average

Pune's defensive excellence stems primarily from their corner defenders – Gaurav Khatri and Vishal Bhardwaj, who have been scoring points at exceptional tackle success rates throughout the season.

Puneri Paltan corners in PKL 12:

  • Gaurav Khatri: 38 tackle points (3.2 average, 61% SR, 3 High 5s)
  • Vishal Bhardwaj: 29 tackle points (2.4 average, 63% SR, 2 High 5s)

Vishal Bhardwaj possesses the joint-best tackle success rate in the league amongst all defenders with at least 25 tackle points – a remarkable achievement showcasing consistent excellence.

Gaurav Khatri narrowly misses the top three, ranking fourth-best tackle success rate in the league amongst defenders with 25+ tackle points.

Best tackle SR% in PKL 12 (minimum 25 tackle points):

  • Vishal Bhardwaj: 29 points at 63% SR
  • Saurabh Nandal: 34 points at 63% SR
  • Jaideep: 39 points at 63% SR

Vishal Bhardwaj demonstrates remarkable consistency across all match phases – maintaining 50%+ success rate in all four 10-minute intervals, showcasing extraordinary stamina and tactical awareness.

Vishal Bhardwaj interval-wise in PKL 12:

  • 1-10 minutes: 8 tackle points at 73% SR (exceptional opening)
  • 11-20 minutes: 7 tackle points at 58% SR (second quarter consistency)
  • 21-30 minutes: 8 tackle points at 67% SR (third quarter dominance)
  • 31-40 minutes: 6 tackle points at 55% SR (solid finishing)

His exceptional opening – 73% success rate in the first 10 minutes – provides Pune with crucial early momentum, setting defensive tone for entire matches.

However, Puneri Paltan harbour concerns heading into this encounter – their last match against Jaipur Pink Panthers marked the third time in the last five games they failed to reach the 10-tackle point mark.

Puneri Paltan’s defensive unit in PKL 12 – Last 5 matches:

  • vs Jaipur Pink Panthers: 9 tackle points at 33% SR (27 tackles)
  • vs Bengaluru Bulls: 13 tackle points at 52% SR (25 tackles)
  • vs Bengal Warriorz: 9 tackle points at 25% SR (36 tackles)
  • vs Haryana Steelers: 6 tackle points at 29% SR (21 tackles)
  • vs U Mumba: 20 tackle points at 83% SR (24 tackles)

The concerning pattern – in each of these three sub-10 tackle point matches, their success rate plummeted below 35%, demonstrating the correlation between efficiency and point accumulation.

The last time both sides met, Puneri Paltan delivered an outstanding performance – scoring 20 tackle points with all four starting defenders contributing at least 3 tackle points each, showcasing collective defensive excellence.

They face a U Mumba defence brimming with confidence after back-to-back dominant performances. Captain Sunil Kumar delivered his second consecutive High 5 and third of the season against Gujarat Giants – his best performance yet this season with 7 tackle points.

Sunil Kumar in the last two games:

  • vs Gujarat Giants M#60: 7 tackle points at 88% SR (8 tackles)
  • vs Tamil Thalaivas M#58: 6 tackle points at 86% SR (7 tackles)

After struggling through his opening four matches, Sunil Kumar has completely transformed his form – averaging 3.7 tackle points at 65% success rate with 3 High 5s in his next seven matches.

Sunil Kumar's defence in PKL 12:

  • First 4 matches: 4 tackle points (1.0 average, 22% SR, 0 High 5s)
  • Next 7 matches: 26 tackle points (3.7 average, 65% SR, 3 High 5s)

His remarkable turnaround – success rate improved by 43 percentage points – has restored U Mumba's defensive foundation, providing the platform for their recent victories.

The U Mumba defensive unit has rediscovered its championship form in the last two matches after enduring a difficult five-game stretch, scoring 15+ tackle points in both recent encounters.

U Mumba’s defence in PKL 12:

  • Last two games: 33 tackle points (16.5 average, 67% SR, 49 tackles)
  • Previous 5 games: 39 tackle points (7.8 average, 31% SR, 127 tackles)

This dramatic improvement – average more than doubled and success rate increased by 36 percentage points – has propelled U Mumba to fourth position, establishing them as genuine playoff contenders.

U Mumba now possesses the second-best average tackle points in the entire league, trailing only Puneri Paltan in this crucial defensive metric.

Corners Lokesh Ghosliya and Rinku have contributed significantly, each securing 1 High 5 in the last two matches whilst maintaining consistent scoring throughout the season.

All three of these defenders have accumulated more than 25 tackle points with tackle success rates exceeding 50% this season for U Mumba – demonstrating remarkable collective balance.

U Mumba defence in PKL 12:

  • Sunil Kumar: 30 tackle points (2.7 average, 52% SR)
  • Rinku: 26 tackle points (2.4 average, 50% SR)
  • Lokesh Ghosliya: 25 tackle points (2.5 average, 53% SR)

Team Stories

Puneri Paltan – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

  • M#63 vs Jaipur Pink Panthers – Won 41–36 (5-point victory)
  • M#59 vs Bengaluru Bulls – Won 29(6)–29(4) (dramatic tie-breaker triumph)
  • M#56 vs Bengal Warriorz – Won 49–44 (5-point success)
  • M#41 vs Haryana Steelers – Lost 30–34 (4-point defeat)
  • M#40 vs U Mumba – Won 40–22 (dominant 18-point demolition)

Puneri Paltan sit comfortably in 2nd position with 9 wins from 12 matches, maintaining their championship credentials through three consecutive victories. Their balanced excellence across both departments has established them as one of the league's most formidable teams.

Corners Gaurav Khatri and Vishal Bhardwaj have maintained top form for Paltan's defence, combining for 5 tackle points in the last match against Jaipur Pink Panthers, whilst providing a consistent threat throughout the season.

Aditya Shinde has been their lead raider this season, delivering outstanding performances with remarkable consistency. Pankaj Mohite has rediscovered form in recent matches, providinga crucial secondary threat.

Their recent victory over Jaipur Pink Panthers – their third consecutive win – demonstrates championship mentality, maintaining momentum during the crucial phase of the season.

Aditya Shinde Continues to Shine for the Paltan

Just like their defensive unit, Pune's raiding unit has delivered consistent excellence throughout PKL 12, establishing them amongst the league's elite attacking teams.

Puneri Paltan raiding unit in PKL 12:

  • 12 matches, 21.3 average raid points at 52% SR (5th-best average raid points rank)

Aditya Shinde has been the leader of their raiding unit, scoring the most raid points for Pune in PKL 12 whilst receiving excellent support from Pankaj Mohite as secondary raider.

Puneri Paltan raiders in PKL 12:

  • Aditya Shinde: 94 raid points (8.6 average, 69% SR)
  • Pankaj Mohite: 71 raid points (5.9 average, 49% SR)

Aditya Shinde's defining characteristic this season has been his raiding success rate – ranking fourth-best in PKL 12 amongst raiders with a minimum 75 raid points, showcasing exceptional efficiency.

Best raid SR% in PKL 12 (minimum 75 raid points):

  • Devank: 181 points at 76% SR
  • Gagan Gowda: 111 points at 72% SR
  • Ayan: 135 points at 70% SR
  • Aditya Shinde: 94 points at 69% SR

He demonstrated outstanding form in the last match against Jaipur Pink Panthers – securing another Super 10 that proved instrumental in securing victory.

Aditya Shinde vs Jaipur Pink Panthers in M#63:

  • 19 raids, 13 raid points at 68% SR

Aditya Shinde demonstrates remarkable consistency across different time intervals, maintaining a 70%+ success rate in 3 of the 4 ten-minute intervals throughout PKL 12.

Aditya Shinde interval-wise in PKL 12:

  • 1-10 minutes: 26 raid points at 74% SR (strong opening)
  • 11-20 minutes: 18 raid points at 53% SR (second quarter consistency)
  • 21-30 minutes: 32 raid points at 76% SR (third quarter dominance)
  • 31-40 minutes: 18 raid points at 72% SR (powerful finishing)

His third-quarter excellence – 76% success rate in minutes 21-30 – provides Pune with crucial momentum during the decisive phase when matches often swing decisively.

Pankaj Mohite has provided exceptional support recently, delivering outstanding performances in his last 7 matches with dramatically improved average raid points and success rate.

He has scored 3 Super 10s in his last 7 matches, demonstrating a complete transformation from his early-season struggles.

Pankaj Mohite in PKL 12:

  • First 5 matches: 18 raid points (3.6 average, 35% SR, 2 multi-point raids)
  • Last 7 matches: 53 raid points (7.6 average, 56% SR, 7 multi-point raids)

His remarkable improvement – average more than doubled and success rate increased by 21 percentage points – has transformed Pune's attacking dynamics, creating genuine dual-threat capability alongside Aditya.

U Mumba – PKL 12 So Far

Recent Results:

  • M#60 vs Gujarat Giants – Won 40–25 (comfortable 15-point victory)
  • M#58 vs Tamil Thalaivas – Won 42–24 (dominant 18-point triumph)
  • M#50 vs Dabang Delhi – Lost 26–47 (disappointing 21-point thrashing)
  • M#48 vs Jaipur Pink Panthers – Lost 38(4)–38(6) (heartbreaking tie-breaker defeat)
  • M#40 vs Puneri Paltan – Lost 22–40 (18-point demolition)

U Mumba have rediscovered winning form with back-to-back victories in their last two matches, both comfortable double-digit margins, demonstrating renewed confidence and collective excellence.

Last match against Gujarat Giants showcased Sandeep's brilliance – scoring 15 raid points to lead U Mumba to victory, establishing himself as the undisputed lead raider following Ajit Chouhan's injury absence.

Captain Sunil Kumar delivered an excellent High 5 in the last match, scoring 7 tackle points whilst demonstrating the form that has defined his illustrious career.

Corners Rinku and Lokesh Ghosliya have maintained consistent excellence throughout the season. Rinku secured a High 5 in the last match, providing crucial support to Sunil Kumar's defensive leadership.

Sandeep Continues His Dream Run in PKL 12

Sandeep has continued his unbelievable run in PKL 12 with yet another Super 10 – his fourth consecutive Super 10 this season, clearly establishing himself as U Mumba's lead raider during Ajit Chouhan's injury absence.

Sandeep in the last four games:

  • vs Jaipur Pink Panthers M#48: 14 raid points at 64% SR (22 raids)
  • vs Dabang Delhi M#50: 11 raid points at 69% SR (16 raids)
  • vs Tamil Thalaivas M#58: 12 raid points at 52% SR (23 raids)
  • vs Gujarat Giants M#60: 15 raid points at 58% SR (26 raids)

His remarkable consistency – scoring 11+ raid points in all four matches – demonstrates a complete transformation into an elite lead raider, shouldering U Mumba's attacking responsibilities with extraordinary maturity.

He now averages more than 8 raid points per match with a success rate exceeding 50%, establishing himself amongst PKL 12's most productive raiders.

Sandeep in PKL 12:

  • 9 matches, 72 raid points (8.0 average, 56% SR, 4 Super 10s)

His best performance of the season arrived in the last match against Gujarat Giants, though he faces his sternest test against arguably the best defence in the league in this upcoming encounter.

Sandeep demonstrates exceptional opening ability – maintaining nearly 80% success rate in the first 10 minutes, providing U Mumba with crucial early momentum.

However, vulnerability emerges in the crucial final 10 minutes when success rate drops below 40% – something he must address against elite defensive units.

Sandeep raiding interval-wise in PKL 12:

  • 1-10 minutes: 21 raid points at 78% SR (exceptional opening)
  • 11-20 minutes: 13 raid points at 45% SR (second quarter dip)
  • 21-30 minutes: 24 raid points at 67% SR (strong third quarter)
  • 31-40 minutes: 14 raid points at 39% SR (concerning finish)

The pattern reveals intriguing characteristics – starting both halves strongly before fading in final 10 minutes of each half, creating tactical opportunity for opponents to exploit during decisive moments.

He maintains healthy success rates when facing 6-7 defenders or 4-5 defenders, though struggles persist in super tackle situations where pressure intensifies.

Sandeep raiding DIP-wise in PKL 12:

  • 6-7 defenders: 43 raid points at 68% SR (dominant against full lines)
  • 4-5 defenders: 22 raid points at 46% SR (fourth-best in league)
  • 2-3 defenders: 7 raid points at 41% SR (vulnerable in super tackle scenarios)

His 46% success rate in 4-5 defender situations ranks fourth-best amongst raiders with 15+ raid points in the entire league this season – showcasing the ability to navigate awkward transition phases better than most elite raiders.

Other U Mumba raiders have contributed adequately – Ajit Chouhan is gradually returning from injury and regaining match sharpness, whilst Anil has struggled for consistency with a success rate below 35%.

U Mumba support raiders in PKL 12:

  • Ajit Chouhan: 42 raid points (6.0 average, 60% SR, 7 matches)
  • Anil: 30 raid points (3.0 average, 34% SR, 10 matches)
  • A Zafardanesh: 27 raid points (3.4 average, 44% SR, 8 matches)

Head-to-Head in PKL

Overall: Matches – 25 | Puneri Paltan – 11 | U Mumba – 11 | Tied – 3

The Maharashtra Derby has delivered closely contested affairs with both teams possessing an equal number of victories against each other throughout PKL history – epitomising the rivalry's competitive balance.

Puneri Paltan enjoys a slight advantage in recent times, winning 4 of the last 7 encounters since PKL 9, including their dominant first meeting this season when they secured a comfortable victory.

Since PKL 9: Matches – 7 | Puneri Paltan – 4 | U Mumba – 2 | Tied – 1

Puneri Paltan's defence delivered an exceptional performance in their previous encounter – securing 20 tackle points led by Gurdeep's High 5, which proved instrumental in their comprehensive 18-point victory.

Recent Form (Last 5 meetings):

  • M#40 PKL 12: Puneri Paltan won 40–22 (18-point dominance)
  • M#90 PKL 11: U Mumba won 43–29 (14-point victory)
  • M#32 PKL 11: Puneri Paltan won 35–28 (7-point triumph)
  • M#86 PKL 10: Match tied 32–32
  • M#13 PKL 10: Puneri Paltan won 43–32 (11-point success)

Key Player Battles

Puneri Paltan's Raiders vs U Mumba's Defenders

  • Aditya Shinde 0–2 Sunil Kumar
  • Pankaj Mohite 4–1 Parvesh Bhainswal
  • Pankaj Mohite 12–10 Sunil Kumar (closely matched)
  • Pankaj Mohite 5–4 Rinku (closely matched)

U Mumba's Raiders vs Puneri Paltan's Defenders

  • Sandeep 1–4 Abinesh Nadarajan
  • Sandeep 2–2 Gaurav Khatri (evenly matched)
  • Ajit Chouhan 3–0 Abinesh Nadarajan
  • Ajit Chouhan 2–3 Gaurav Khatri (closely matched)
  • Ajit Chouhan 7–3 Gurdeep
  • A Zafardanesh 0–6 Abinesh Nadarajan
  • A Zafardanesh 1–3 Gaurav Khatri
  • A Zafardanesh 4–3 Gurdeep (closely matched)

What to Expect

This encounter promises to be a fascinating tactical battle between the league's two best defensive units. Puneri Paltan's championship credentials meet U Mumba's resurgent form in the Maharashtra Derby – a match that could define both teams' playoff positioning.

The key battles – Aditya Shinde's efficiency versus Sandeep's Super 10 streak and Gaurav Khatri and Vishal Bhardwaj's corner dominance against Sunil Kumar's resurgent form – will likely determine the outcome.

Expect a closely contested affair where defensive excellence proves to be the decisive factor. Both teams averaging 11+ tackle points suggests a low-scoring encounter where the Raiders struggle for consistent success.

Sandeep's vulnerability in the final 10 minutes faces Vishal Bhardwaj's exceptional opening ability, whilst Aditya's third-quarter dominance meets Sunil Kumar's recent 86%+ success rate. The team executing their defensive game plan more consistently will emerge victorious.

The Maharashtra Derby's historical balance – 11-11 overall record – suggests another thriller, with small margins likely proving decisive in this battle between contrasting fortunes and playing philosophies.

Match Details

  • Match: Puneri Paltan vs U Mumba – Match 72, PKL Season 12
  • Date: Wednesday, 8th October 2025
  • Time: 9:00 PM IST
  • Venue: SDAT Multi Purpose Indoor Stadium, Chennai
  • LIVE Streaming: Watch LIVE on Star Sports Network and JioHotstar. For LIVE scores and updates, visit prokabaddi.com or download the Pro Kabaddi Official App.

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