Kabaddi 2015: 6th World Cup

Kabaddi has been a celebrated sport in India since ancient days. The mud game finds the same excitement in rural India and on the international level. India being the top team in Kabaddi, it is no doubt that there is no dearth of talent and enthusiasm in our country. As the 6th World Cup Kabaddi is about to kick off with the opening ceremony on November 15 at Roopnagar, Kabaddi fans are eager to see their favourite teams and players sweat it out on the field. However, doubts about the tournament still linger around as religious violence broke out in Punjab.

Cash-flow for Winners

Punjab Deputy CM Sr. Sukhbir Singh Badal has officially announced the 6th World Kabaddi Cup to be held from November 15-November 28. The event will take place at 14 diverse sports stadiums in Punjab. This time the cash prize has been raised from Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.50 crore in the women’s category whereas the winners from men’s category will receive Rs 2 crore and runners-up will take home Rs 1 crore. In the women’s category, runners-up will receive Rs 75 lakh. Along with the enhanced cash prize, security, transportation and accommodation for international players will be ensured appropriately. The event was announced after a meeting held between prominent personalities together with MP Balwinder Singh Bhundar; Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Pawan Kumar Tinu; Rural Development Minister, Sikander Singh Maluka; Special Principal secretaries to Deputy CM, Ajay Mahajan and Rahul Tiwari; Secretary General Punjab Olympic Association, Raja KS Sidhu; Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, S K Sandhu; Principal Secretary Finance, D P Reddy; Principal Secretary to Deputy CM, P S Aujla; Secretary Industry, Anirudh Tiwari; Principal Secretary Housing, Vishavjit Khanna; IG Balbir Kumar Bawa and Secretary Sports Ashok Gupta.

Teams and Venues

The 6th World Cup will consist of teams in men and women categories. In the men’s category, teams will be present from India, Pakistan, USA, Argentina, UK, Canada, Scotland, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Spain and Denmark. In the women’s category teams will consist of India, Pakistan, Kenya, New Zealand, UK, Denmark, Malaysia and Mexico. The 2015 World Cup will be held in Punjab. With 15 teams in men’s section and 8 participating nations in women’s section, the event will pull crowds. The finals will take place at Jalalabad, Punjab only after December 1. As far as the venues are concerned, it will include Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Patiala, Tarn Taran, Sangrur, Roopnagar, Jalalabad, Hoshiarpur, Mansa, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Bathinda where the closing ceremony will be held.

Suspense over the tournament

The Kabaddi World Cup, which was to be held in Punjab, has been cancelled because of religious violence and unrest in Punjab. Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal announced on Tuesday about the update. Tattered pages of a Sikh religious scripture were found on Sunday after which police force was deployed to prevent any violence and unrest in the state. After this incident, suspense lingers-on about whether the event will be held successfully or if at all will be held in Punjab! And if not in Punjab then where will it take place?

Undisputed champions of World Kabaddi

Kabaddi World Cup was first held in 2004, 2007 and then yearly from 2010 onwards after which the circle format is followed. India has been the winner of all six Kabaddi World Cups that they played till now (Year 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2007, 2004). They remained triumphant throughout the tournament. Behind India, Iran stands as two-times runner-up. All the world cups took place in India. India women’s national kabaddi team that represents India in all international kabaddi events and tournaments, have won the title thrice in 2014, 2013 and 2012. It was in 2012 that the first Women’s World Cup was organized in Patna, India. India took away the title beating Iran in the finals. India retained the winning title defeating New Zealand in the finals.

Kabaddi in India & Asia

Kabaddi is a sport which originated in Ancient India and involves contact between the players. It is considered a rural game that was played on mud in villages but today it has reached the world stage and is celebrated as an international sport with India being the best successful team in the World cup and Asian Games in both men and women section. The Kabaddi Federation of India (KFI) was founded in 1950, and it compiled a standard set of rules. The governing body for kabaddi in Pakistan is Pakistan Kabaddi Federation. In Bangladesh, a variation of kabaddi called Ha-Du-Du is popular. Ha-Du-Du has no definite rules and is played with different rules in different areas. Kabbadi is one of the national sports of Nepal. Kabbadi is played and taught at a very early age in most primary schools beginning in the third grade or so in most Nepali schools. The Indian Kabaddi style consists of Sanjeevani, Gaminee, amar and Punjabi. It is known as hututu in Maharashtra and chedugudu in Andhra Pradesh. Kabaddi is the state game of states like Maharashtra, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Punjab.