Manush Shah once again underlined his importance to U Mumba TT as the defending champions secured a 9-6 victory over PBG Pune Jaguars in Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7 at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Panaji on Thursday.
The result gave U Mumba its second consecutive win of the season, improving its record to two victories from four ties. While Manush suffered defeat in his opening singles match, he played a decisive role in the mixed doubles, helping his team seize control of the contest.
The tie was evenly poised after the opening two matches. U Mumba levelled the scores through Anna Hursey, whose disciplined counter-attacking display proved too strong for Diya Chitale. The Welsh paddler claimed a 2-1 victory to maintain her unbeaten record this season and draw the tie level at 3-3.
The turning point came in the mixed doubles, where Manush and Hursey produced a dominant performance against SFR Snehit and Prithika Pavade. The U Mumba pairing combined effectively to register a convincing 3-0 win. Manush’s sharp angles from deep behind the table complemented Hursey’s consistency and composure during the crucial rallies, giving the defending champions a commanding 6-3 advantage with only two matches remaining.
Needing just two more games to clinch the tie, U Mumba found another hero in Lilian Bardet during the reverse men’s singles. Facing World No. 35 Omar Assar, the highest-ranked player in the league, Bardet stayed committed to his aggressive, high-risk style of play. The Frenchman was rewarded with a hard-fought 2-1 victory, extending U Mumba’s lead to 8-4 and virtually putting the result beyond Pune’s reach.
PBG Pune Jaguars managed to narrow the final margin in the fifth and deciding singles contest. Prithika Pavade defeated Anusha Kutumbale 2-1 to add two games to Pune’s tally, but it was not enough to prevent U Mumba from completing a 9-6 triumph.
Although his singles form has fluctuated this season, Manush once again demonstrated why he remains one of U Mumba’s most valuable players. His contribution in the mixed doubles proved pivotal as the defending champions built the decisive advantage, with Hursey maintaining her impressive unbeaten run and Bardet delivering the finishing blow against one of the league’s top-ranked competitors.
