Hyderabad, Nov 22 (IANS): The Tamil Thalaivas put up a clinical performance to defeat U Mumba 34-20 in the vivo Pro Kabaddi League Season 9 at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium here on Tuesday.

Captain Sagar led from the front with 8 tackle points, meanwhile, Ajinkya Pawar chipped in with 5 raid points.

The two sides played out a neck and neck contest in the opening minutes and were locked at 2-2 in the 4th minute. However, Narender effected a raid and the Thalaivas tackled Guman Singh in quick succession as the side from Tamil Nadu took the lead at 5-3 in the 8th minute. Moments later, Thalaivas' raider Ajinkya Pawar caught out Shivansh Thakur and Rinku and helped his team inflict an ALL OUT and attain a stronghold of the match at 10-3. Defenders Mohit and Sahil Gulia carried out tackle points as the Thalaivas kept forging ahead.

However, Jai Bhagwan pulled off a multi-point raid and Mohit tackled Ajinkya Pawar to keep the Mumbai side in the game at 8-14 in the 28th minute. U Mumba had a great chance to inflict an all out when there were only two Thalaivas players on the mat, but Narender effected a raid and the Himanshu pulled off a SUPER TACKLE soon after to help their team hold a comfortable lead at 18-10 at the end of the first half.

Ashish carried out a multi-point raid in the opening minutes of the second half, but the Thalaivas still held a big lead at 20-12 in the 24th minute. Narender pulled off a magnificent raid in the 28th minute as the side from Tamil Nadu attained a ten-point lead at 23-13. The Thalaivas kept raging on and reduced U Mumba to just three members on the mat.

However, the Mumbai side didn't give up hope and stayed afloat after tackling Pawar in the 33rd minute. However, the Thalaivas eventually inflicted an ALL OUT in the 37th minute and took a huge lead at 32-18. The team from Tamil Nadu rode on the momentum and eventually closed out a comprehensive victory.