India refuses to send team for friendly kabaddi match at the Kartarpur Corridor

India continues to stick to its stubborn stance of not sending its sports teams to Pakistan.

After it refused to send its cricket team to Lahore for the ICC Champions Trophy to be held next year by informing the world cricket governing body (ICC) a few days ago, it handed Pakistan its latest blow when it refused to send its kabaddi team for the unique international friendly.

The match was scheduled for November 19 at the Kartarpur Corridor.

The show had been planned in connection with the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak. Arrangements had been made to hold this match inside Samadhi of Baba Guru Nanak.

“Yes, we have been verbally informed that they are not coming,” Pakistan Kabaddi Federation’s (PKF) secretary Mohammad Sarwar told Nukta.

“We had done hard work and had planned it nicely and it’s a huge blow to us and to the game as we were looking for this big event as both nations were ready to clash in a kabaddi match since they last met in the 2020 World Cup,” Sarwar said.

Pakistan had held its camp at the Nishtar Park and on Thursday (today) the players were released following the development.

“It was not a good act from India and they should not have done so. It has damaged our entire hard work,” Sarwar said.

Punjab government entire machinery had been active to make this match a success.

Pakistan High Commission has also issued visas to 3,000 Sikh pilgrims from India who will attend the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.

“I think India should not have sabotaged our such effort. We are sportsmen and such things hurt us massively as it damages the sport,” said Sarwar, also a former Pakistan captain.

Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur shrine, where the Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev died, is seen in Kartarpur town of Punjab province, Pakistan on November 6, 2019. AFP

Sarwar said that the PKF will take this issue to the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) forum.

“We will take it to the IKF forum as such steps have been damaging the sports and its spirit,” said Sarwar, also secretary of the Asian Kabaddi Federation (AKF).

Both nations have met last time in the 2020 World Cup in Lahore which was won by Pakistan by downing arch-rivals in a pulsating finale witnessed by a huge crowd at the Punjab Stadium.

Since then, the Covid-19 and lack of international events hurt the circle kabaddi growth of Pakistan. And this was a major opportunity for the players of circle style to at least play a game against big team of India.

Alternate match

Now the PKF is planning to hold a match of those Pakistani players who are registered in the clubs of the US and Canada.

“Yes, we are going to hold an alternate game. We will form two teams of those players, who are the US and Canada-sponsored. They are Pakistani players but they are registered with clubs in Canada and US and we will give the teams names accordingly,” Sarwar said.

India, a rising global sports power, has been making every effort to unsettle Pakistan’s sports.

Besides its refusal to send its cricket team to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy India’s External Ministry is yet to give green signal to its blind cricket team for the T20 World Cup which Pakistan is set to host in Lahore and Multan later this month.

India’s Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry has given its team NOC but External Ministry’s permission is awaiting. This has also created a big uncertainty for the organizers of the World Cup which will begin at Ghani Institute Stadium at the DHA Lahore from November 23.

This is the first time that Pakistan is hosting the event. The previous three events were hosted by India.

Besides India, which will defend the title, South Africa, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Pakistan will be vying for the title.