Bengaluru, Dec 24 (IANS): Dabang Delhi KC defeated U Mumba 31-27 in a Pro Kabaddi League match at The Sheraton Grand, here on Friday. Raider Naveen Kumar fetched 17 points in the match and was the big difference in a tightly-fought contest.

The raiders including Naveen Kumar had a very slow start to the game with both sets of defenders keeping a high line and not even allowing Bonus Points. Vijay, who was impressed in his first match of the season for Dabang Delhi KC, struggled to provide Naveen Kumar with the assistance, and the first half even saw Ajay Thakur make a few raids to change the momentum.

Mumbai raiders Abhishek Singh and Ajith Kumar had very little luck too and the scores were tied 5-5 after the first 10 minutes. Delhi changed gears towards the half-time, Naveen was once again instrumental and had reduced U Mumba to a man on the mat. But Mumbai's Anil Shivam clinched a raid point and then a Super Tackle, to keep Mumbai in the game. The first half saw no all-outs and ended 12-10 in Mumbai's favour.

Anil Shivam and Abhishek Singh gave Mumbai a quick start in the second half which helped them inflict an all-out in the 5th minute on Delhi and make the scores 19-10. But Naveen was in no mood to let Mumbai run away with the lead and his multiple successful raids helped the Delhi side claim an all-out in the 10th minute of the half to make the scores even at 20-20.

Naveen Kumar picked his Super 10 with seven minutes remaining in the match and then followed it with a 3-point Super Raid that took the match away from U Mumba. Despite a few silly defensive errors from seniors Manjeet Chhillar and Jeeva Kumar, Delhi held firm in the last minutes to secure an important victory.