Pakistan top arch-rivals India in final
LAHORE: Pakistan became kabaddi world champions on Sunday after narrowly beating arch-rivals India who played even though authorities at home vowed to investigate why a team competed despite a ban on sporting ties.
In the final, Pakistan fought back in the second half to secure a 43-41 win over the defending champions in the popular South Asian sport in front of thousands of spectators.
“We are grateful to all the nations which made this event colourful,” Rana Muhammad Sarwar, the secretary general of the Pakistan kabaddi federation, told AFP.
“We should not let sports and culture become a victim of politics.”
Last week, Indian sports minister Kiren Rijiju said no kabaddi player had been given permission to participate.
“Playing in the name of the country with India’s flag being used are matters to be investigated,” Rijiju said.
Apart from India, teams from Iran, England, Germany, Sierra Leone, Australia, Canada and Azerbaijan participated in the event.
India cut bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan after attacks in Mumbai in 2008 that authorities blamed on Pakistani militants.
India has since ordered a general freeze on sporting contacts, and last year a Davis Cup tennis tie between the two nations was shifted out of Pakistan to Kazakhstan.
Few international sports events are held in Pakistan due to safety concerns, though in recent years cricket has made a comeback amid improving security.
Kabaddi originated in the subcontinent and later spread to other Asian countries.
The sport is a discipline at the Asian Games.