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The Indian team, when it comes to kabaddi, are referred to as the undisputed champions of the sport since it’s very inception on the global stage. And well, rightly so, since whether it is the men or the women, more often than not the team claims the coveted gold medal be it at the World Cup, the Asian Games or the South Asian Games.
However, in recent times, one country that has come close to challenging Indian supremacy in kabaddi is Iran. The war-horses from the Middle East have constantly been improving in every aspect of the game, in order to overthrow the Indians from their perch. Their trademark skill is probably the swiftness and agility with which they go about their business on the kabaddi mat.
With the introduction of the Pro Kabaddi League, a new window of opportunity has opened up for the budding Iranian players in order to hone their talent, and train with some of the best players from India, and they have seized the chance with both hands. The Iranians are an aggressive bunch of players, who are also capable of using brute force when on the mat as per the requirement and situation while lying low on the other end and sneaking in swift touch points while raiding.
We enlist 5 players from Iran whom you should watch out for in Pro Kabaddi Season 5:
#5 Abolfazl Maghsoudlou Mahalli
The 25-year old Iranian has come on as a substitute raider on many instances in the past in the Pro Kabaddi League and on a few such occasions has also managed to put up an impressive show.
Also read: Pro Kabaddi League 2017 Season 5: 5 players who can win the MVP award this time
He started his career in the league with U Mumba before switching over to the Patna Pirates with whom he won the title in the fourth edition. At the World Cup as well, he assisted the Iranian attack with his 17 raid points while he has amassed 25 raid points from his 12 matches in PKL, a number he will be eager to improve upon in his upcoming season with Dabang Delhi.
#4 Abozar Mohajer Mighani
Abozar will be making his debut in the Pro Kabaddi League with the Fortune Giants Gujarat alongside his Iranian teammate, Fazel Atrachali. The duo will look to stage a potent partnership with each taking care of their respective corner position.
Also read: Pro Kabaddi League 2017 Season 5: 5 greatest teams in PKL history
Mighani had put in a stellar performance at the World Cup in October with his 17 tackle points and 6 raid points and had given Iran an edge above their opposition teams. He will be hoping to do the same for the new Gujarat franchise in the upcoming fifth edition of the PKL.
#3 Hadi Oshtorak
Hadi may not have had an outing to boast about from the World Cup held last year, but the Iranian was a tackling machine in the latter stages of Pro Kabaddi’s fourth edition when he played for the Patna Pirates, the team that went on to win the title.
An out-and-out defender, Hadi has also been closely watched by U Mumba’s coach ahead of the fifth season who has acknowledged the Iranian’s potential as a ‘strong corner defender.’
As far as the stats are concerned, Hadi has accumulated 37 tackle points from his 21 outings and will look to play an integral role in the Mumbai defence under the aegis of Anup Kumar.
#2 Meraj Sheykh
The captain of the national side, Meraj will show up for the Dabang Delhi side in the capacity of a skipper as well. A threatening force on the mat, Meraj possesses the ability to bail his team out of deep trouble with his all-round play in the defence and attack alike.
His numbers also stand as a great testament to his skills, amassing 119 raid points and 42 tackle points from his 43 matches. His leadership skills were on display at the World Cup in October wherein he guided his team to the runners-up position, and he is expected to follow suit and lead by example for the Delhi franchise as well.
#1 Fazel Atrachali
The left corner defender has quite a menacing presence on the kabaddi mat, with the potent combination of using his strength like a bull while exuding solidarity akin to a wall. Name any defensive move, and one is sure to find it in Fazel’s armour, from ankle and thigh holds to body blocks and chain tackles, and not once will he flinch to execute the same on an approaching raider.
Fazel finished as the best defender in the fourth season with Patna Pirates when they claimed the title and he will be looking to reprise his performance in his upcoming stint with the Fortune Giants Gujarat.
