Sports

Abu Dhabi, Dec 21 (IANS) TSL Hawks emerged victorious in a closely-contested last league stage encounter, as they defeated Kites 20-17 in the World Tennis League Season 3 at the iconic Etihad Arena on Saturday and stormed into the final. With this win, TSL Hawks secured second place in the standings with 67 points and will face the table toppers Game Changers Falcons, who finished the league stage with 68 points. Game Changers Falcons advanced to the final despite a loss earlier in the day, thanks to their consistent performance throughout the campaign.

Meanwhile, Kites finished third with 63 points, while HonorFX Eagles, who registered their first win earlier on Saturday, ended the season in fourth place with 54 points. Interestingly, Game Changers Falcons and TSL Hawks also faced each other in the first match of this season.

In the match on Saturday, TSL Hawks' Aryna Sabalenka and Mirra Andreeva extended their impressive form with a commanding start in the women’s doubles, racing to a 4-0 lead. While the Kites' duo of Simona Halep and Jasmine Paolini managed to break serve and pull a game back, Sabalenka and Andreeva quickly regained control and sealed the set 6-1 in dominant fashion for TSL Hawks.

Teenager Andreeva then built on the momentum with a remarkable performance against Paolini in the women’s singles. Andreeva broke Paolini's third serve to take a 3-2 lead and held her next serve to create a two-game cushion before comfortably closing out the set 6-4. In the men's doubles, Nick Kyrgios and Casper Ruud broke Sumit Nagal and Jordan Thompson to love, taking an early 2-1 lead. Nagal and Thompson did equalise immediately with a break, but their opponents regained the advantage and went on to close the set 6-4, narrowing the overall deficit to 11-16.

In the men's singles, Casper Ruud broke Nagal's second serve to gain an advantage, leading the set 4-1. While the Indian star showed resilience, he trailed throughout as Ruud closed the set 6-3, taking the game to Over Time with an overall score of 17-19 for the Kites.

In Over Time, Nagal held his serve to help his team not only secure a 20-17 win over Kites but also a place in the Finals of the competition.

Speaking after the game, Nagal said, "Any final is good, doesn’t matter what type of format you are playing. I think everyone’s playing well, everyone’s happy with the way we have been performing. Tomorrow, it will be just another day, another set.”

His teammate, Thompson added, “We are here to win. We have got a great team, it’s been an incredible campaign so far, and we would like to continue the momentum.”

--IANS

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Dubai (UAE), Dec 21 (IANS) With 8,947 runs in Test cricket, 13,906 in ODIs and 4,188 runs in T20Is, Virat Kohli is the greatest batsman of his generation. But in recent times, many people have drawn comparisons between him and Babar Azam of Pakistan, Steve Smith of Australia, and Joe Root of England. With the former India captain struggling for runs in the last couple of years, many experts have jumped the gun and even proclaimed their favourites as better than Kohli.

But Pakistan's recently retired pacer Mohammad Amir is unequivocal in his verdict that Kohli is the greatest batter of this generation. "Virat Kohli is the greatest batsman of this generation and comparisons with Babar, Smith or Root make me laugh," Amir passed his judgment in a recent podcast.

Speaking about Virat Kohli on the Cricket Predicta Show, Amir said, "Virat Kohli is the greatest player of this generation. I laugh when comparisons are made between him and Babar Azam, Steve Smith, or Joe Root. We cannot compare Virat Kohli to anyone because he has won so many matches- for India, which seems impossible for any one player. Not just in one format, but in all three formats, Virat is the greatest batsman of this generation."

"Virat Kohli’s work ethic sets him apart from all players. After his bad phase in England in 2014, the way he made a comeback and then consistently performed brilliantly for the next 10 years was no ordinary feat. His wicket in the 2017 Champions Trophy final was very important for us, which helped us win the final. If Virat had not been dismissed, we would have lost the final because we all know how exceptional Virat’s record is while chasing runs," said Amir.

Amir has a positive head-to-head matchup with Kohli, having dismissed the Indian batting stalwart on two occasions, in ICC Champions Trophy 2017 and ICC ODI World Cup 2019.

Amir shared interesting stories about dismissing Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli and about his life in the Cricket Predicta Show with its founder Sunil Yash Kalra.

He said dismissing Sachin Tendulkar for the first time was a memorable moment of his career. "Dismissing Sachin Tendulkar was the most special moment for me. I bowled to him only once in my life during the 2009 Champions Trophy, which was held in South Africa, and dismissed him while playing against India. I had seen him play cricket on TV and always used to think about how brilliant a batsman Sachin was," said Amir who retired from all formats of cricket recently.

Tendulkar was at the peak of his batting prowess when Amir made an entry into international cricket and was the most cherished wicket for every bowler. So, bowling to the batting maestro in the 2009 Champions Trophy was a big thing for Amir.

"Bowling to Sachin Tendulkar was a big thing for me. For three days after his dismissal, I was not in my senses; I could not believe I had taken Sachin Paaji’s wicket. I was new to cricket and he (Sachin Tendulkar) was the kind of player who had a deep understanding of every aspect of the game. When the captain handed me the ball, my heart was pounding. I took a deep breath and bowled to him. My condition was exactly like when I met Wasim Akram for the first time," Amir said recalling those moments.

Notably, it was the sixth clash of the ICC Champions Trophy 2009 in South Africa, in which Pakistan defeated the arch-rivals India by 54 runs. Mohammad Amir bagged two crucial scalps of Sachin Tendulkar and power-hitter Yusuf Pathan, ending up with figures of 2/46 in eight overs.

--IANS

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Madrid (Spain), Dec 20 (IANS) FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid will end 2024 with a vital showcase match, while Real Madrid could finish the year top of the table in the top-flight of Spanish football this weekend.

Here are four things to look out for in 2024's last round of matches in La Liga:

1. Massive game for Flick and Barcelona

Barcelona entertain Atletico Madrid with the two teams level on points at the top of the table, but with Barcelona struggling for form and results in recent weeks. Although they have maintained a high level in Europe, Barca have suffered three league defeats in their last six games in La Liga, with last weekend's 1-0 loss at home to Leganes arguably the biggest surprise of the season.

The game also saw Flick lose Lamine Yamal with an ankle injury, although Flick will be grateful for a rare midweek without a game to try to allow tired players to recover. Will Barca react and turn in a winning display? Or will a continuation of their bad recent league form make for an unhappy holiday period with lots of questions to be answered in and around the club?

2. Which Simeone will we see?

One of the main reasons for Atletico Madrid's excellent recent form is that forwards Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann have developed an on-field understanding that has turned Atletico into a potent attacking force.

Their run of seven consecutive league wins has come with Atletico playing some entertaining attacking football, with Rodrigo de Paul taking a step forward and Marcos Llorente given the freedom to make rampaging runs forward. Looking ahead to Saturday's game against Barcelona, there is one clear question. Atletico's recent form has come thanks to their courage in attack, but will coach Diego Simeone be tempted to fall back on his old defensive habits when his team faces a powerful rival?

3. Can Real Madrid be the big winner this weekend?

Real Madrid will end 2024 at home to Sevilla after winning the Intercontinental Cup away in Doha on Wednesday night with a 3-0 win against Mexican side Pachuca. Coach Carlo Ancelotti now has to help his players recover for their last game of 2024, which could see them end the year on the top of the table if they win, while Barca and Atletico draw.

Apart from the opening minutes in Doha, Madrid were rarely tested by a side that would struggle to make the mid-table in Spain, but on Sunday, Ancelotti's men will have to cut out the defensive errors that were so expensive against Rayo Vallecano last weekend. Sevilla are a powerful side and will give Madrid problems from set pieces, while in attack, Isaac Romero and Dodi Lukebakio are both quick and mobile, with Lukebakio excellent at beating his marker.

4. Vital derby in Pamplona

Osasuna entertain Athletic Bilbao in what looks to be an evenly-matched derby at the El Sadar Stadium on Saturday evening. Athletic travel fourth in the table and need a win to keep themselves in with an outside chance in the title race after being held to a 1-1 draw away to Alaves last weekend.

That draw ended a six-game winning run for Athletic and could give them an idea of what to expect in Pamplona, as Alaves adapted their game in the second half to hit long passes to avoid Athletic's ferocious pressure simply by passing their midfield. With striker Ante Budimir again a potent threat and midfielder Aimar Oroz showing why Athletic wanted to sign him this summer, Osasuna are big, powerful, and have enough creativity to make this a tight game and a real test for Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde.

--IANS

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London, Dec 20 (IANS) Most of the drama in the Premier League will have to wait until Sunday, with Liverpool visiting Tottenham, second-placed Chelsea testing the waters at Everton with new owners, and Manchester United having a difficult game at home to an in-form Bournemouth. There is plenty of drama in the weekend's opening game, however, when Manchester City visit Aston Villa still reeling at the way they managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in last weekend's Manchester derby.

That defeat extended City's crisis and had coach Pep Guardiola publicly questioned whether he had the ability to turn things around after five defeats in their last seven league games, along with recent Champions League losses against Juventus and Sporting Lisbon.

Aston Villa have been slightly irregular in recent weeks, but players such as Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey can cause chaos in City's increasingly nervy defense, reports Xinhua.

Arsenal visit Crystal Palace with the home side finally coming into the form most people expected it to show after the end of last season. Oliver Glasner's side is unbeaten in five league games, while Arsenal has drawn its last two.

The game comes just five days after Arsenal won 3-2 at home to Palace in the EFL Cup, along both teams made important changes to their starting 11s.

A win and a draw look to have eased the pressure on West Ham coach Julen Lopetegui, although the Basque suffered a personal tragedy this week when his father passed away.

West Ham will hope to take advantage of the recent hiccup in form that has seen Brighton draw two and lose two of its last four games to slip to ninth in the table, although there is a chance Danny Welbeck could be back after his recent ankle injury. Ipswich stunned Wolverhampton last week and now look for their first home win of the season against Newcastle United, who has striker Alexander Isak back to his best form.

Saturday's other game sees Brentford at home to fourth-placed Nottingham Forest in what promises to be a battle of strikers as Forest's Chris Wood goes up against Brentford duo of Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo, who have helped give their team the best home record in the league.

There promises to be wild entertainment on Sunday when Tottenham entertain league leader Liverpool, after a week that has seen the home side win 5-0 away to Southampton and follow that up with Thursday's 4-3 EFL Cup win at home to Manchester United, where some goalkeeping howlers from Fraser Forster threatened to throw away a 3-0 lead.

Liverpool go into this game after consecutive draws and Andy Robertson is suspended, but there is no way this game is going to end 0-0.

Chelsea have closed the gap on Liverpool to just two points, and the team with the best away record in the league now visit Goodison Park, where Everton fans are celebrating that the sale of the club to the Friedkin Group has finally been completed.

With Everton expected to dip into the transfer market in January, several players will view the game as a casting they need to pass to save their careers at the club, and Sean Dyche's side won't give Chelsea much room to exploit behind its defense.

Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim claimed his side played the better football against Tottenham on Thursday, and despite the controversy over leaving Marcus Rashford out of the squad - and Rashford's response - there are some signs of progress at Old Trafford. Bournemouth will provide a litmus test of that progress on Sunday when Andoni Iraola's in-form side return to the ground where it ran rampant just over a year ago with a 3-0 win that cemented Iraola's status in the dugout.

Bottom side Southampton have Simon Rusk in temporary charge after Russell Martin was sacked after their thrashing at home to Tottenham, and Rusk's task is to plug the second leakiest defense in the division ahead of its visit to Fulham. Wolverhampton's 40 goals conceded this season is the worst record and it has Vitor Pereira as the new man in charge for a vital trip to play fellow strugglers Leicester City.

The 17th-placed Leicester have a five-point cushion over Wolves and despite a chastening 4-0 defeat to Newcastle last week, a win for Ruud van Nistelrooy's side would give it an interesting lead over a direct rival in the battle to avoid the drop.

--IANS

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Abu Dhabi, Dec 20 (IANS) Game Changers Falcons secured their second consecutive victory in World Tennis League Season 3, edging past Kites 24-21 at the iconic Etihad Arena here on Friday. With this win, the Falcons finished Day 2 atop the points table with a total of 53 points. TSL Hawks, who also claimed a win earlier in the day, ended in second place with 47 points, followed by Kites in third with 46 points, and HonorFX Eagles in fourth with 34 points.

In the women's doubles, Simona Halep and Jasmine Paolini made an explosive start for the Kites, breaking the serve of Elena Rybakina and Caroline Garcia in the very first game and surging to a 2-0 lead after a clean opening serve. However, the Game Changers Falcons' duo took some time to settle and not only levelled the score but marched ahead to lead 5-3.

The Kites fought back, as they won two consecutive games to make it 5-5 and eventually pushed the set into a tiebreak after a 6-6 deadlock. Despite an early deficit, Rybakina and Garcia maintained composure to clinch the set 7-6, giving Game Changers Falcons a narrow lead.

In the women's singles, Rybakina didn't allow Halep to settle in. She led the entire set leaving Halep having to catch up. Rybakina closed the set 6-4 comfortably to extend Game Changers Falcons’ overall lead to 13-10.

The mixed doubles clash between Caroline Garcia and Denis Shapovalov and Jasmine Paolini and Nick Kyrgios was an evenly-contested affair. However, it was Paolini and Kyrgios who got the better of Garcia and Shapovalov, as they broke after a 5-5 deadlock and held their serve to clinch the set 7-6. Their victory narrowed the overall score to 17-18 in favour of the Kites.

In the showdown set of the match, Game Changers Falcons' hero from the season opener Andrey Rublev continued his fine form as he broke Kyrgios' serve to lead 4-2. Kyrgios did narrow the margin, but Rublev showcased determination to close the set 6-4 and help his team secure a second consecutive win of the season.

Earlier on Friday, TSL Hawks defeated HonorFX Eagles 21-14 in match 3 of the competition.

Speaking about the game, Kyrgios said, "Every game counts in the World Tennis League. When you look at the statistics, it doesn’t matter if a match seems lopsided—you want to fight for your team, and I love that. For me, this is the perfect return because it’s not overwhelming, just the right amount of tennis. I also love the mixed doubles format, you get to see your favourite male and female players competing together on the same team. I never imagined seeing myself and Paolini on the same court, on the same side of the net, and that is really cool to witness."

--IANS

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Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu), Dec 20 (IANS) Himalayan Tahrs and Vasco Vipers confirmed their spots in the Division 3 final as the 11th edition of the Yuva Kabaddi Series witnessed thrilling action on the penultimate day of the event at the Karpagam Academy of Higher Education here on Friday.

The day began with a commanding 59-37 victory for the Indore Invincibles over the Ladakh Wolves. Sachin, coming off the bench, delivered a stellar performance with a Super 10, while Aakash anchored the defense with an impressive nine tackle points. For the Wolves, Amrit Singh's allround efforts stood out, but they weren’t enough to prevent a one-sided loss.

The Vasco Vipers secured their place in the final with a resounding 42-21 victory over the Konark Kings, finishing second in the standings. Prince and Bhargav spearheaded the raid with eight points each, while Prianshu and Jai Hind dominated the defense with High 5s. The Kings’ Rajesh Dehury managed eight raid points, but his solo effort couldn’t salvage the game.

The third game of the day saw the Himalayan Tahrs continue their dominance, confirming their place in the finals with a convincing 44-30 win over the Tadoba Tigers. Palvinder Singh was the star of the match, securing 12 raid points, while Shivansh Thakur supported with five tackle points. For the Tigers, Shrikant Raut achieved a Super 10, but a lack of team support led to their defeat.

In the fourth game of the day, The Dehradun Dynamos outlasted the Ranchi Rangers in a close 45-41 contest, consigning the Rangers to the bottom of the table. Ajay Kumar and Deepak Lohan shone for the Dynamos with Super 10s, while Akash Malik contributed a High 5. For the Rangers, Rahul Gope came off the bench to register a Super 10, and Subham Kumar earned a High 5, but their efforts fell just short.

In the final game of the day, the Konark Kings rebounded from their earlier loss to secure a win over the Ladakh Wolves. Niroj Kumar Sethi and Rajesh Dehury both achieved Super 10s, while Biswajit Jena impressed on defense with a High 5. For the Wolves, it was another tough loss despite their spirited efforts.

The stage is set for the Division 3 Final on Saturday, with one final league game remaining before the big clash.

--IANS

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Pune, Dec 20 (IANS) Pawan Sehrawat led the charge as the Telugu Titans had an excellent outing on the mat, storming past the Puneri Paltan 48-36 to stay alive in the race for the final Playoff berth in Season 11 of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) at the Badminton Hall of the Balewadi Sports Complex, here on Friday. The Telugu Titans won the crucial match with Pawan Sehrawat scoring 15 points, Ashish Narwal adding 11 and Ankit getting his High-5 as well.

Pawan Sehrawat looked to give his side a quick start, as the Telugu Titans picked up an early two-point lead. The Puneri Paltan were playing catch up, and it was their defence who were leading the charge. Along expected lines, Sehrawat was scoring at a fast pace which kept the Telugu Titans, who had to win, in the lead. In the other corner, Aryavardhan Navale and Aman were leading the charge for the Puneri Paltan.

Young Aryavardhan Navale was matching Pawan Sehrawat raid for raid, in what was turning out to be a close match. The Telugu Titans though were doing just about enough to keep the Season 10 champions at bay, especially with Sehrawat leading the way. The Telugu Titans then landed an All Out, and now led by 8 points, with five minutes to go. A couple of minutes later, Sehrawat completed his eighth Super 10 of the season, and his side were starting to dominate proceedings. At halftime, the Telugu Titans were leading 25-16.

Puneri Paltan’s Aryavardhan Navale kicked off the second half with a five-point raid, landed the All Out on the Telugu Titans, and reduced the deficit to 3 points. The Puneri Paltan had cranked up the intensity and were asking questions of their opponents. But the Telugu Titans responded well and held onto a five-point lead at the half-hour mark. The contest was on a knife-edge, with both sides going to the kill.

The Telugu Titans continued to build from there, and then they scored an All Out, which made it an 11-point lead. The Puneri Paltan’s Aman then registered his High-5, in the process sending Pawan to the bench. But it was too little too late for the Puneri Paltan, as the Telugu Titans romped over the line, picking up a handsome win.

--IANS

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London, Dec 19 (IANS) The Friedkin Group on Thursday completed the takeover of Premier League club Everton, ending the ownership of Farhad Moshiri and years of uncertainty over the club's future. The deal, which makes Everton the 10th club in the Premier League under American control, is thought to be worth more than 400 million pounds (502 million U.S. dollars) and comes before the club moves to its new 60,000 capacity 'Everton Stadium' for the 2025-2026 season.

The Friedkin Group is owned by Dan Friedkin, who has a personal worth of almost eight billion U.S. dollars and also owns the historic Italian club AS Roma.

"I take immense pride in welcoming one of England's most historic football clubs to our global family, the Friedkin Group. Everton represents a proud legacy, and we are honoured to become custodians of this great institution," said the new owner in an open letter to Everton supporters.

"Whilst we are new to the club, we fully understand the vital role Everton plays in local culture, history, and the lives of Evertonians here and around the world," he said. "We are deeply committed to honouring this legacy while contributing positively to the community, economy, and people of this remarkable city," he added.

Everton's first game after the takeover is a difficult match at home to Chelsea on Sunday lunchtime.

Earlier last week, Everton produced an excellent defensive display to hang on for a point away to Arsenal, who had 13 shots to Everton's one but failed to find its way past a solid defense and an excellent Jordan Pickford.

--IANS

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Abu Dhabi, Dec 19 (IANS) The opening day of the World Tennis League Season 3 concluded spectacularly on Thursday as the Kites secured a convincing 25-20 victory over the HonorFX Eagles in the second match held at the iconic Etihad Arena here on Thursday.

In the mixed doubles, Alexander Shevchenko and Paula Badosa secured an early break in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead for the HonorFX Eagles. However, Jasmine Paolini and Casper Ruud, after taking some time to find their rhythm, turned things around to win the set 6-4, putting the Kites ahead in the match.

In the men's singles, Ruud maintained his impressive form as he cruised to a comfortable 6-4 victory and further extended the Kites' lead to 12-8.

Iga Swiatek and Paula Badosa came out strong for the HonorFX Eagles in a star-studded women's doubles clash. They raced to an early 3-0 lead, narrowing the overall gap to 12-11. However, Simona Halep and Jasmine Paolini of the Kites showcased incredible resilience, mounting an impressive comeback as they took the set from trailing 2-5 to level the score at 5-5. The duo built on their resurgence to clinch the set 7-5, giving the Kites a commanding 19-13 lead in the overall match.

In the final set, the women's singles between Swiatek and Paolini began evenly. Paolini broke Swiatek’s serve in the sixth game to secure a 4-2 lead and held her serve to make it 5-2. Swiatek, however, responded emphatically, winning five consecutive games to take the set and cut the overall deficit to 20-24, pushing the match into Over Time.

In OT, Paolini held her nerve to win the decisive game and helped Kites start their campaign with a 25-20.

Speaking after the game, Ruud reflected, "We started well, Jasmine and I played a good mixed doubles set, we won that 6-4, and then I played a good single set. I'm happy with my level, with my performance, and looking forward to coming out there again tomorrow." Meanwhile, Halep added, "Our team is super relaxed and we have good light moments during sets. It's a good atmosphere, but it's a good start for me personally".

Earlier in the day, the Game Changers Falcons pulled off a dramatic 29-26 comeback victory over the TSL Hawks in the season's opening match, thanks to Andrey Rublev's heroics in the final set.

Trailing 17-21 heading into the last set, Rublev's win forced the match into Over Time. He then won two consecutive games to level the overall score at 26-26, setting the stage for the season's first Super Shootout. Riding on his momentum, Rublev outplayed Thompson 10-6 in the Super Shootout, securing the bonus points for his team.

--IANS

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Pune, Dec 19 (IANS) The U Mumba were in fine form with Ajith Chauhan leading the way in attack and Sunil Kumar pulling the strings from the defence as they swatted away the challenge of Patna Pirates in a Season 11 clash of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) in the Badminton Hall of the Balewadi Sports Complex here on Thursday. The U Mumba side won by 43-37.

Incidentally, if Jaipur Pink Panthers can avoid defeat against the Bengal Warriorz on Friday, then U Mumba and the Season 10 champions will clinch the final two playoff berths.

Manjeet and Devank got the U Mumba and Patna Pirates off the mark, respectively. And after that Manjeet’s two-point raid, coupled with a solid tackle from Lokesh Ghosliya, helped U Mumba pick up a 3-point lead in the early exchanges. Rohit Raghav also got his act going, as the U Mumba continued to build on the lead.

Eight minutes into the game, Ajith Chauhan kicked off his evening with a three-point Super Raid, and right after, U Mumba inflicted an All Out on their opponents, which extended their lead to a 7-point one. While Ajith Chauhan and co tried to keep the Patna Pirates at bay, Devank was going through the gears, and threatening to turn the contest on its head.

U Mumba’s defenders, Lokesh, Rinku, and Sunil Kumar though had other ideas and kept the Patna Pirates at arm’s length. At half-time, Ajith Chauhan was on the brink of another Super 10, and the U Mumba led 24-14.

The second half started slower than the first. Within the first few minutes, Ajith Chauhan completed his Super 10, and then he went on to inflict an All Out on the Patna Pirates as well. With 15 minutes to go, the U Mumba were well and truly in the box seat, as they had a 12-point lead.

Even though Devank was not having his best games yet, Sudhakar M was doing his best to keep the Patna Pirates in the game. At the half-hour mark, the Patna Pirates, who have already secured qualification for the playoffs, trailed by 10 points. U Mumba were in no mood to relent with Ajith Chauhan looking for more raid points and Sunil and co doing their bit in defence.

Sunil Kumar got his High-5 in the final minutes of the game, and his fellow defenders also made significant contributions to the cause, shutting the door on a comeback for the Patna Pirates. Moments before the end of the game, the Patna Pirates got an All Out, and Devank completed his Super 10 as well. But it was too little too late, as the U Mumba eventually came away with the win.

For the U Mumba, Ajith Chauhan scored 15 points, while Sunil Kumar got a High-5. On the other end, Devank bagged 12 points, while Ayan got 7 and Sudhakar M scored 5 more as well for the Patna Pirates.

--IANS

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