What’s the story?
News has emerged from Karachi that the next Kabaddi World Cup (circle style) is likely to be held in Pakistan at the end of this year, according to a very reliable source.
“It is likely to be held in November December in Lahore,” the source said on Saturday.
“Approval from the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) is not an issue. It has agreed. Pakistan also has a say in the IKF,” added the source.
“It is a big step and Punjab Chief Minister himself likes the sport and would definitely support the cause. He is the main hope behind all this adventure,” the source added further.
The context
All the previous editions of the Kabaddi World Cup held so far have been in India. Pakistan had hosted and won the 2016 Asia Kabaddi Cup, beating India in the final.
The heart of the matter
The source stated that the Kabaddi World Cup will most likely be held at the Punjab Stadium in Lahore and will be organised by the Sports Board Punjab (SBP). It said that Pakistan have already got the green signal by the International Kabaddi Federation to host the major event.
The source also said that once the organisers get the approval of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, they would write a formal letter to the IKF. He was of the view that hosting this global event would mean a lot for the people of Pakistan and Punjab in particular.
Things are looking good for Pakistan as far as kabaddi is concerned. This would be the second major event in 2017 as the country is gearing up to host their first kabaddi league.
The league, which is owned by Strawberry Sports Management, is scheduled to be held in Lahore in July. Foreign players are expected to take part in the event, according to the organisers.
What’s next?
If the reports are true, it would be the first time that Pakistan will play hosts to a major international event which will be participated by 12 or 16 of the world’s best kabaddi playing countries. It would be a huge shot in the arm for kabaddi in the country where the sport enjoys great fan following and the national team is doing well too.
Author’s take
Amidst all the security concerns that have engulfed Pakistan in recent years, with teams having backed out of visiting the country, a successful staging of the World Cup would go a long way in improving their standing in the world.
