LAHORE: A 16-member Indian kabaddi squad arrived here on Thursday to take part in the three-nation Kabaddi Taakra being held in different cities of Punjab from Jan 8 to 13.

The squad comprises 14 players and two officials. Baljit Singh is coach while Guldeep Singh is the second official as manager of the team.

Partab Singh is leading the Indian team, which arrived Lahore via Wagah Border. Iran is the third nation of the event, while Pakistan have fielded two teams—Greens and Whites.

Partab said he was hoping for a close competition in the series, adding that his charges were happy over their tour of Pakistan while Guldeep said the team had arrived with a “message of happiness” from India.

Provincial sports minister Rai Taimur Bhatti and Diretor General Sports Board Punjab Nadeem Sarwar welcomed the Indian team on their arrival at the National Hockey Stadium.

The minister said that the provincial government would extend all the facilities to the participating teams.

Pakistan Kabaddi Federation secretary Rana Sarwar said Pakistan Greens and Whites will be selected at the end of the ongoing National Championships, which is under way in Faisalabad.

According to the schedule of the series, Pakistan Greens will take on India in the opening match in Jhang on Jan 8. The series will conclude in Lahore on Jan 13.

The matches will also be held in Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, besides Lahore and Jhang.

India squad: Partap Singh (captain), Harjeet Singh, Deepak Sharma, Angrej Singh, Sandeep Singh, Balinder, Kuldeep Singh, Mikki, Mohit, Autar Singh, Sachin, Naresh, Kulveer, and Shera Singh; Manger: Guldeep Singh; Coach: Baljit Singh.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2019