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Sunday February 09, 2025

Pakistan to play in women’s kabaddi World Cup in India

By Abdul Mohi Shah
January 14, 2025
Women Kabaddi players in action. — TheNews/File
Women Kabaddi players in action. — TheNews/File

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan are preparing to compete in the 2nd Women’s Kabaddi World Cup (Asian style) to be held in Patna (India) from March 9-15.

Pakistan were not part of the inaugural World Cup that was also staged in Patna but later raised the women’s team for the Asian meet where it won the bronze. “We have decided to participate in the Women Kabaddi World Cup to be held in India in March. Depending on the timely completion of the visa formalities, we intend to send the women’s team to India to compete in the World Cup,” Mohammad Sarwar, secretary World and Pakistan kabaddi federations when contacted, said.

Over 50 women athletes appeared for the trials meant to select the national team for the meet. “Women athletes keenly participated in the one-day trials at the Jinnah Stadium with 20 best selected for the camp training. We plan to organise the camp from January 21 in an effort to raise a competitive team for the mega event,” he said.

Sarwar added that a 12-member team will be selected at the end of camp. “We plan to apply for the Indian visas of all the shortlisted girls. We will further trim the squad to 12 players in days to come.” World’s leading 16 teams will compete in the mega event. Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have also been invited to compete in the mega event.

“We did not participate in the inaugural event for multiple reasons. This time around however we plan to compete in the event which will help promote women’s kabaddi,” he said. India recently refused permission to its national team to compete in an exhibition match at Kartarpur. “Indian government refused permission to the kabaddi team to compete in the Kartarpur exhibition match, which was surprising. Hopefully, India would keep politics out of sports,” he added.