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As U Mumba heads into the second leg of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), head coach Gholamreza Mazandarani is optimistic about his team's performance and aims for further improvement. U Mumba currently sits in third place in the PKL standings, with four wins, two losses, and one tie in seven games, earning them 24 points. In their most recent outing, U Mumba secured a thrilling 42-40 victory against Patna Pirates.
Reflecting on the team's journey so far, Mazandarani said, "This is the second leg. The first leg was good. Our team played well. We are going match by match and we hope to win the first match." Mazandarani acknowledged the team's strong start but expressed his desire for even better performances. "My team's performance is good but I want better. We are going to try for a better combination because the last two-three matches were very close. I hope it to be better," he stated, according to a PKL release. The first game of the second leg of PKL Season 11 will see home favourites UP Yoddha take on the young and in-form U Mumba side. The UP Yoddhas have lost their last three games, and will be hoping that home advantage can help them find some form, while U Mumba are looking to make it a hat-trick of wins. After that, the Gujarat Giants, who desperately need a win, will take on the Haryana Steelers. The Haryana Steelers have been in good form, with the likes of Mohammadreza Shadloui and captain Jaideep doing well in recent games. Interestingly, both sides played each other in their previous game in PKL Season 11, and the Gujarat Giants will be looking for revenge in Noida. The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) is set to kick off its second leg of Season 11 at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Sunday, November 10. The electrifying opener of the Noida leg will feature a clash between home team UP Yoddhas and U Mumba. In anticipation of the Noida leg, a grand launch event was held at the Radisson, Noida, graced by PKL League Commissioner & Head of Sports Leagues, Anupam Goswami, along with team captains Surender Gill (UP Yoddhas) and Sunil Kumar (U Mumba), and head coaches Jasveer Singh (UP Yoddhas) and Gholamreza Mazandarani (U Mumba). Expressing his thoughts on the competitive nature of season 11 as it rolls into Noida, Anupam Goswami said this leg would be very competitive. "We can expect this leg to be very competitive, as we saw in the Hyderabad leg, where 25 of the 42 matches were decided by less than seven points. This sets an impressive benchmark for Noida, and we can expect it to go on an upward trajectory. All the teams are equally adept, and with such competition on display, we're confident that the Noida leg will be well received by the fans," he said, according to the release. UP Yoddhas' captain Surender Gill shared his excitement about playing in front of the home crowd, saying, "Home advantage provides a significant boost to any team's performance, and we've seen that consistently in PKL. The extra motivation we get from our supporters is incredible, especially as we are dealing with multiple matches in a short span, but our team is well-prepared. We are focused on delivering our best performance in front of our home crowd, and we'll make sure to make every match count." Meanwhile, U Mumba's captain Sunil Kumar spoke about his desire to bring the trophy back to Mumbai, stating, "The team is performing well right now, and I'm impressed with how our young players are showing great commitment, given most of them are making their PKL debuts just this season. Our primary plan is to maintain this momentum and mindset throughout the tournament. With the way we're performing, I'm confident about our chances to make it to the semifinals and finals. U Mumba last won the title in PKL season 2 back in 2015, and it is time to bring the trophy home for the fans," as quoted by a release from PKL. (ANI)
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