 | |
| Full name | U Mumba |
|---|---|
| Sport | Kabaddi |
| Founded | 2014 |
| First season | 2014 |
| Last season | 2023 |
| League | PKL |
| Based in | Mumbai |
| Stadium | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Indoor Stadium (5,000) |
| Colors | |
| Owner | Unilazer Ventures Ronnie Screwvala |
| CEO | Suhail Chandhok |
| Head coach | Gholamreza Mazandarani[1] Anil Chaprana |
| Captain |  Sunil Kumar |
| Championships |  (2015) |
| Playoff berths | 5 |
| Biggest defeat | |
| U Mumba 19–41 Puneri Paltan 26 June 2016, Season 4 | |
| Website | www |
U Mumba is a professional kabaddi team based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, that plays in the Pro Kabaddi League.[2] The franchise is currently led by Sunil Kumar, and coached by Anil Chaprana and Gholamreza Mazandarani. The team is owned by Unilazer Ventures Pvt. Ltd with co-founders Ronnie Screwvala and Supratik Sen. U Mumba play their home matches at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Indoor Stadium.
In the inaugural season of the PKL, U Mumba were one of the most dominant teams in the league but lost the ultimate match of the competition, thus ending as runner's up to the Jaipur Pink Panthers.[3] In 2015, they were out to make up for their mistakes and successfully won the tournament after defeating Bengaluru Bulls in the Final.[4] Later next season in 2016(January), U Mumba lived up to the tag of the best team in PKL history and made their third successive PKL final before eventually ending as runner's up, as they were defeated by the Patna Pirates by a narrow margin despite a lion hearted comeback in the second half of the final.
Ahead of the June 2016 season, in the PKL auction, U Mumba lost many of their key players who were a part of the squad that reached three consecutive finals. The team wasn't able to deal with the changes as they failed to make the playoffs in the following two seasons- 2016(June) season and 2017. An inspired change of personnel by the owners ahead of the 2018-19 season, saw U Mumba regain their lost touch and qualified for the playoffs after two failed attempts. In the process U Mumba once again became the force they once were, and ended the league stage with dominant wins and the most highest score difference than any other team. But inability to peak in big games with narrow margins, saw them getting knocked out by the UP Yoddha in the playoffs.[5]
U Mumba contest the Maharashtra derby against state rivals Puneri Paltan and have the bragging rights as well by winning 9 of the 15 encounters between the two teams.
In season 7, they went out in the 2nd semi-final losing to the eventual champions Bengal Warriors, by a score of 35–37.
- ^ "Meet Gholamreza Mazandarani: Coach behind Iran's historic Asiad gold joins U Mumba for PKL 10". ESPN. 16 August 2023.
- ^ G, Viswanath (27 July 2014). "U Mumba starts with win". Mumbai: The Hindu. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ^ "Pro Kabaddi League 2014 Points Table: PKL 2014 Team Standings and Positions". India. 1 September 2014.
- ^ "Pro Kabaddi League: U Mumba crowned 2015 champions after thrilling win over Bengaluru Bulls in final". The Indian Express. 24 August 2015.
- ^ "Pro Kabaddi 2018 Playoffs Highlights: Dabang Delhi, UP Yoddha win Eliminators". The Indian Express. 30 December 2018.