Vizag, Sep 12 (NationPress) Former Pro Kabaddi League player Rishank Devadiga emphasized the fierce rivalry between Gujarat Giants captain Mohammadreza Shadloui and Dabang Delhi leader Ashu Malik during Delhi's impressive 38-28 victory over the Giants. He noted that Ashu capitalized on Shadloui's current struggles to play with newfound confidence.

Ashu spearheaded the team's efforts with 14 points, while Fazel Atrachali's High Five solidified the defense as Dabang Delhi maintained their unbeaten streak this season.

“The strong tackling performance from Dabang Delhi, yielding 13 points, proved crucial in securing this victory. Ashu Malik was outstanding, leveraging Shadloui's struggles and playing with high confidence, evident in his 70 percent strike rate in raiding, accumulating 14 raid points.

“He appeared unstoppable—an agent on a mission, leading from the front as captain to keep his team competitive on the points table. Previously, Ashu and Shadloui were neck and neck, but Ashu's performance yesterday allowed him to pull ahead by four points,” Rishank shared on JioHotstar.

As the Giants completed their five-game series with only one win, they now shift their focus to the Jaipur leg, preparing for three upcoming matches.

“Gujarat has a pressing issue—its defense. While raiders like Parteek Dahiya and Rakesh are scoring, the defense must improve to secure wins. Shadloui must strengthen that unit. If Gujarat enhances its defense, their performance can significantly improve in future matches,” he added.

In another thrilling match, U Mumba pulled off a nail-biting victory against Patna Pirates, despite raider Ayan Lohchab achieving 21 points.

Lohchab made history as the first player to achieve consecutive 20-point games in PKL, but a critical mistake towards the end cost his team the game.

For U Mumba, Amirmohammad Zafardanesh excelled with a Super 10, and Anil made significant contributions on a high-scoring night.

“U Mumba showcased dominance throughout the match. Patna Pirates fought valiantly, but Ayan Lohchab's lesson is to avoid unnecessary self-outs. His self-out during a crucial super tackle proved detrimental; otherwise, he could have clinched the win for Patna Pirates.

“Performing well but making mistakes at critical moments can be costly. While Patna mounted a strong comeback, their loss to U Mumba was disappointing,” Rishank concluded.