Fans disappointed with decision to not invite Pakistan’s team
Charanjit Singh Teja
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, November 4
Kabaddi lovers in the city are disappointed as five-time runners-up Pakistan kabaddi team has not been invited to take part in the World Kabaddi Cup, inaugurated at Ropar yesterday.
Sports lovers used to enjoy the final matches between India and Pakistan during the past five Kabaddi world cups. As per the organising committee’s president and Punjab Cabinet Minister Sikander Singh Maluka, the situation after surgical strikes by the Indian Army at the LoC is tense between both the countries. Observing the situation, the organising committee did not invite the Pakistan Kabaddi team for the sixth world cup.
The final match of the World Kabaddi Cup will be organised on November 17. During the past five events, the spectators used to praise the performance of Pakistan team.
Pakistani players such as Musharaf Javed Janjua, Lala Ubaidullah, Shafique Chisti, Babar Gujjar, Akmal Dogar, Lala Saifullah and Lala Saifullah were famous among Indian fans.
“Only Pakistani kabaddi team used to give a tough challenge to Indian players. The teams from European countries are not able to give hard challenge to the Indian players. Some of the teams are just dummies in the world cup. People do not watch such manipulated matches as everyone knows about kabaddi. There is a century-old tradition of kabaddi in Western Punjab. The players from Pakistan entertain people well,” said Hardeep Singh, a local resident.
Gurpreet, another sports lover, said, “The government should not cancel sports and cultural events between the two countries. The political and diplomatic affairs should settle on tables instead of playgrounds. The idea of international sports is to get countries and their people close to each other.”
