Pakistan retain Asian kabaddi title

KARACHI: Pakistan defended the title in style when they comprehensively defeated India in their final league game of the third edition of Asian Kabaddi Championship (circle style) at the POF Wah on Friday.

The score was 50-31.

Pakistan remained undefeated in the six-nation affair played under single league system.

In the 2011 first edition of the Asian Championship held in Iran, India defeated Pakistan in the final.

In the second edition in 2012 held at Punjab Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan defeated India in the final after the Indians forfeited the last five minutes of the game over alleged biased umpiring.

This time the decider ended without any controversy with Pakistan dominating throughout.

At half time Pakistan were leading 24-15.

In the second half, the hosts kept the pressure on the Indians up with bearded raider Rana Atif doing a spectacular job. He scored a few superb points. The Indian stoppers remained helpless in front of the agile raider as he was never grabbed in any of his raid.

Waqas Butt and Bilal Mohsin also raided superbly, scoring a few precious points to extend the lead.

Pakistan kept the lead intact as they led 35-24, 37-25, 42-29, 43-29, 44-29, 45-29 before sealing a 50-31 victory.

Pakistani raiders Waqas Butt, skipper Mohammad Irfan Mana and Obaidullah Lala dominated the first half with their effective raids which the Indian defenders were unable to cope with.

Waqas, who returned to international circuit after a long injury, grabbed several points effortlessly.

India’s top raiders Sandeep, Manaj Kumar and Gagandeep Singh did their best to narrow the gap but Pakistani defenders did a great job to foil most of their efforts.

Pakistan led 4-2, 12-7, 17-9, 20-13, 22-15 and 24-15 in the first half.

Chairman POF Wah Umar Mehmood Hayat and Director General Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Dr Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera also witnessed the finale.

Iran clinched the third position with three wins when they overpowered Afghanistan 57-14 in their last league outing.

The Nepal-Sri Lanka game was cancelled as the duo were not in contention for the top three positions, a member of the organising committee told ‘The News’.