Truncated Pakistan Kabaddi team arrives, wins opening match

Amritsar - Ending the uncertainty over its participation in the third World Kabaddi Cup in Punjab, the Pakistan kabaddi team finally arrived in India through the Wagah-Attari land border route Monday.

The Pakistan team later played its inaugural match against Sierra Leone in Hoshiarpur Monday evening. The Pakistan side, which is among the top favourites along with the host India team, easily beat Sierra Leone 52-12.

The Pakistan team members said that only 16 members were issued visas against the 20 who had applied. Led by their captain, Musharraf Javed, the team proceeded to Hoshiarpur to play its first match.

There was controversy over the arrival of the team as the Indian high commission in Islamabad did not issue visas to the 26 members who had applied for visas. The list was cut down to 20 members but the visas were issued to 16 members only.

Sources in the Kabaddi organizing committee said that the Indian mission had objections to issuing visa to a retired Pakistan Army officer who was made part of the delegation. The officer was finally not issued a visa.

Teams from 15 countries are participating in the Kabaddi cup being held across Punjab Dec 1-15.