Mumbai look to avenge earlier defeat against Pune in Maharashtra derby

The second day of the Mumbai leg of VIVO Pro Kabaddi Season 5 serves up two mouthwatering encounters at the Dome@NSCI SVP Stadium. Two-time reigning champions Patna Pirates are pitted against Tamil Thalaivas in the first match of the evening, while the second match will see hosts U Mumba entertain neighbours Puneri Paltan in what is expected to be an emotional and action-packed Maharashtra derby.

Match 47 (Zone B): Patna Pirates vs Tamil Thalaivas

Patna Pirates head into the clash winless in their last three matches. They will be disappointed at missing out on a victory in their last outing against Bengal Warriors on Friday evening and will be keen to get back to winning ways when taking on Chennai. Dubki King Pardeep Narwal and Vishal Mane will have key roles in attack and defence respectively, whereas Monu Goyat and Vinod Kumar will also have a part to play.

Tamil Thalaivas, on the other hand, will have to be in top gear straight from the start if they’re to upset the odds against the double defending champions. Chennai sit rock-bottom of Zone B having won just one of their six matches so far, losing three and drawing the other two. They often come to life in the second half, which could prove to be too late in the day against a dangerous side like Patna. So, they need to address that problem quickly.

Match 48 (Zone A): U Mumba vs Puneri Paltan

Head-to-Head: U Mumba 7-2 Puneri Paltan

Meanwhile, U Mumba will be under pressure heading into the contest having begun their home leg with a defeat at the hands of Jaipur Pink Panthers on Friday. Lots will be riding on the shoulders of Anup Kumar and local boy Kashiling Adake. however, it’s their defence that has been letting them down of late. Youngster Surinder Singh has been the pick of the defenders for them this season but he will require support if Mumbai don’t want to be over-reliant in attack for their points.

Puneri Paltan, on the other hand, will have fond memories of their encounter with U Mumba earlier this season as they stunned the Season 2 champions in Hyderabad on the opening day of the league last month. With that in mind, it must also be noted that they will be looking to bounce back after a chastening defeat of their own at the hands of Zone A leaders Gujarat Fortunegiants in their last match.

Catch all the action live on the Star Sports network and hotstar from 7.30 pm onwards.