The New Zealand Kabaddi Federation is preparing a national team to participate in the International Kabdadi Tournament scheduled to be held in Punjab, India next month.
A 30-member squad, including 14 players, will leave for India next week, with the hope of winning the world title, which has gathered global prestige since its launch just three years ago.
Virender Singh Bralli, President of the Federation will lead the New Zealand delegation, along with Manager Jinder Papamoa and Treasurer Manjinder Singh Bassi.
Following are the members of the New Zealand Team:
Stoppers: Sukhjinder Singh Sukha Rasulpur (Auckland), Harkamal Singh Sukha Raju (Te Puke), Kamaljit Singh Dhatt (Te Puke), Mandeep Singh Dial Pur (Auckland), Swaranjit Singh Sonu Karisari (Hamilton), Mandeep Singh Khairadona (Te Puke), Joban Singh (Hamilton)
Raiders: Gurinder Singh Ginda Maheru (Tauranga), Jatinder Singh (Auckland), Amrik Nikku Bhettan (Auckland), Ramandeep Singh Rummy (Hastings), Manjot Singh Dhillon Manko (Tauranga), Harpreet Singh Soni Laihlawala (Hamilton), Manjot Singh Sukha Raju (Auckland).
The Tournment, hosted by the Punjab Government, has attracted 16 teams from as many countries around the world.
Supreme Sikh Society of New Zealand Spokesperson Daljit Singh said that the New Zealand team was selected at a match held on November 11 at the Kabaddi Grounds of the Takanini Gurdwara complex in South Auckland.
He said that the Punjab Government is making elaborate preparations to host the World Cup, third in an annual series.
Large Cash Awards
“The winning team will receive a cash award of Rs Two Crores (about $450,000).
The Runner-Up and the team finishing third will receive cash awards of Rs One Crore (about $250,000) and Rs 5.1 million (about $ 115,000) respectively. The host Government is meeting almost all costs including travel, accommodation and domestic transport,” he said.
Four pool matches, each comprising four teams, will begin on December 1 at Bathinda, one of the oldest cities in Punjab.
The final match will be held on December 15 at Ludhiana, a major industrial and commercial hub of the State.
Dope-Free
Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who heads the World Cup Games, said that his Government was committed to promote Kabaddi as an international game.
“Kabaddi is increasingly being played by many communities around the world and hence deserves to be included in the Olympics. The forthcoming World Cup matches would be dope-free. All players will be tested and certified accordingly before they enter the field,” he said.
In an article that appeared in our ‘Baisakhi Special’ feature (Indian Newslink, April 1, 2011) youth leader and professional Navtej Randhawa said that Kabaddi is the ‘Real Sport’ of South Asia and that its popularity is growing in New Zealand.
“Kabaddi was initially played by Punjabi farmers after the harvest to show who was the fittest. Players wear no shoes or any other protective gear, just shorts. There would be lot of grabbing, tackling, crouching and twisting. It is a big spectator sport,” he said.
The object of the game is for a raider to attack the opposing semi-circle of stoppers, touch any one of the stoppers and make it back to his starting point without being caught.
The raider would have 30 seconds to complete his raid.
A successful raid will result in one point for the raider’s team.
On the other hand, every time a stopper prevents the raider from going back to his starting point, the stoppers’ team gets one point.
The first point of every match is worth 1.5 points so a match can never be a tie.
The team with the most points wins.
