Pakistan, Iran grab big wins to open Kabaddi World Cup

Published February 10, 2020
LAHORE: Players of Pakistan and Canada in action during their match of the Kabaddi World Cup at the Punjab Stadium on Sunday.
—M.Arif/White Star
LAHORE: Players of Pakistan and Canada in action during their match of the Kabaddi World Cup at the Punjab Stadium on Sunday. —M.Arif/White Star

LAHORE: The Kabaddi World Cup started here on Sunday with big wins for hosts Pakistan and Iran.

Pakistan thrashed Canada 64-13 in the opener with Iran overwhelming Sierra Leone 60-19 in the second game of the day.

Teams from 10 nations are taking part in the event being organised in three cities.

At a colourful inauguration ceremony, local band Seismic Tremors peformed with players of all the teams taking part in the match past.

Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said it was a “great honour for the Punjab government to host an international event for the first time”.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi welcomed the teams and recalled that his elder brother Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi had laid the foundations of the game in the country 42 years ago.

Provincial Sports Minister Rai Taimur Bhatti said the event shows that Pakistan is a safe country for international sport.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2020

Opinion

Editorial

Limiting the damage
07 Mar, 2026

Limiting the damage

WITH looming energy shortages due to the US-Israel war on Iran, the government has revived a range of Covid-era...
Diplomatic option
07 Mar, 2026

Diplomatic option

WITH Operation Ghazab lil Haq underway for over a week now, Pakistan has demonstrated that it can take firm action...
Polio, again
07 Mar, 2026

Polio, again

ANOTHER child has fallen victim to polio, this time in Sindh. The National Institute of Health this week confirmed...
On unstable ground
Updated 06 Mar, 2026

On unstable ground

PAKISTAN’S economic managers repeatedly tout improvements in macroeconomic indicators, including rising foreign...
Divide et impera
06 Mar, 2026

Divide et impera

AS if the high loss of life in Iran, regional escalation and economic turbulence caused by the US-Israeli aggression...
New approach needed
06 Mar, 2026

New approach needed

WITH one World Cup campaign ending in despair, Pakistan began to plan for the start of the cycle of another by...