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Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) successfully enters its 10th year after completing a remarkable nine-year journey with intense success. The organizers and the officials find it unbelievable to witness enormous results as they remember when Jaipur Pink Panthers and U Mumba teams faced off against each other in the league’s opener.
Over the years, the league has become the second-most popular sporting tournament in India, after the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Many officials and players voiced their excitement to see the fast-growing PKL. Rishank Devadiga was one of them and narrated his most cherished memory from season 1. He also played in the first-ever PKL match along with Anup Kumar.
"Walking out through the tunnel to play the opening game is my favourite memory from Season 1," said Rishank. "We were ready to play the beautiful game of Kabaddi in front of everyone in the stadium."
On the other hand, Anup, who won the MVP in season 1, stated:
"We were quite nervous just before the game started. We had never played on such a platform before. We were playing under the lights and in front of a big crowd for the first time. But we got used to the environment by the end of the first half of the opening game. I remember forgetting to focus on the timer because we didn't have timed raids before."
Notably, the addition of four teams, which happened in the fifth season, witnessed a notable growth in Kabaddi players willing to join from all across the nation. All nine seasons have seen remarkable growth of Kabaddi since 2014.
Tamil Thalaivas' record-breaking bid of INR 2.26 crore for Pawan Sehrawat in the PKL 2022 Auction portrays a notable gain in the players' financial valuation of the participants over the years.
Ajay Thakur shows excitement ahead of PKL 10
Since the last nine seasons have gained big, the league’s organizers are optimistic about the tenth season. The tournament’s esteemed player Ajay Thakur, who owns 794 raid points in just 120 matches, also shared his excitement ahead of the league.
"I cannot tell you how happy I am to see the way Kabaddi has grown in the last nine years," said Ajay. "Ten years ago, we couldn't have imagined that kabaddi players would be recognized around the country. Hats off to PKL."
The dates of the season are yet to be announced and the enthusiasts can expect them to come out in a short span. As far as the auction is considered, it is due to take place from September 8-9, 2023, in Mumbai.
