Uncertainty hangs over the participation of Pakistan players in the inaugural Rs. one crore prize money Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League set to start at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) here on Saturday.
The five-week, eight-team league will see U Mumbai lock horns with Jaipur Pink Panthers and Delhi taking on Bengaluru in the first two matches on the opening day.
While the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on Thursday granted Atif Waheed and Wajid Ali (both Telugu Titans), Waseem Sajjad (Patna Pirates) and a technical official their visas, it rejected the applications of Nasir Ali (Jaipur) and Asian Kabaddi Federation secretary Mohammad Sarwar.
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Jaipur Pink Panthers, which had made a Rs. 4 lakh successful bid for Pakistan Army’s Nasir Ali, will now be given a replacement to complete its squad before the match against U Mumbai.
The Indian players are looking at ProKabaddi as an ideal platform to prepare for the Incheon Asian Games in September-October. All 36 probables who have been training for the Games in Bangalore since January are part of the eight franchise teams. In a bid to make it fast and entertaining over a period of 40 minutes, former India coach and current technical director of the national federation, Prasad Rao has laid out new rules for the league.
Rakesh Kumar, who was picked up by Patna Pirates for a record Rs. 12.8 lakh, said he was happy with the prize structure and prize money — Rs. 50 lakh for the winner, Rs. 25 lakh for the runner-up and Rs. 12.5 lakh each for the semifinalists.
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The best raider, defender and the best catch will receive Rs. 10,000 each for each of the league’s 60 matches.