Pakistan Kabaddi League: Top players set for big payday

Top players in the Pakistan Kabaddi League (PKL) are set to earn a lucrative sum of around $10,000, as the tournament prepares to kick off in June this year.

According to sources, players in lower categories will also receive substantial payouts, making the PKL a financially rewarding opportunity for participants.

“The actual plan is that around 10,000 dollars will be given to the players who will be picked in the platinum category,” a well-placed source well-aware of the development told Nukta.

The source said that each team will keep two players each in the platinum category. The source also added that each franchise will also have the option to pick two foreign players during players’ draft.

The source said the rest of the information will be revealed after the things have been finalized.

“We are in the process of finalizing the matters and once they are settled then we will reveal the details,” the source.

A six-team event

The source said that it will be a franchise-based league of the circle style kabaddi and efforts will be made to limit it to six teams initially.

“The first edition will carry five to six teams and then we will build on it in coming years. We are hopeful that the things will progress smoothly. We have on the radar June 1-20 timeframe for the league. We plan to conduct it in three cities including Lahore, Gujrat and Faisalabad,” the source said.

“For the first edition we have planned to conduct the circle style league and in future we will then think whether it could be moved to the Asian style,” the source said.

This correspondent understands that Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) is in serious discussion with the relevant parties and media partners which are indispensable for the league. The league was a big miss in the country’s kabaddi circuit.

The source said that effort will be made to leave a good first impression which will help in future build-up of the league.

Pakistan had last conducted league in the name of Super Kabaddi League in 2018. It was a good initiative but it could not be sustained because of differences between the PKF and the relevant company which had conducted the league.

Asked whether the PKF will earn a good amount through this exercise the source said that definitely federation will get a solid share.

The source said it will be a long-term contract with a particular company which will hold the league for the federation.

The PKF’s step to go for the professional league will provide a good opportunity for the circle style kabaddi players to earn money and express themselves in the competitive environment.

The event will also carry 12 foreign players.

Circle kabaddi players of the country have been passing through a barren patch due to lack of international events for the last few years.

Although, players were able to get playing opportunities for certain foreign clubs during the last few years but they did not get any major international event.

In 2020 Pakistan played last time in circle kabaddi when it won the World Cup (circle style) by beating India in the final at Lahore.

Since then, due to covid-19 and lack of international events, circle style kabaddi players did not get exposure.

In the Asian style, Pakistan won bronze in the Asian Games held in 2023 in Hangzhou.

Pakistan direly needs its own league. A few years ago, Pakistani players were able to feature in the India’s Pro Kabaddi League but after the neighboring nation changed its stance relating to Pakistan which consequently damaged Pakistan’s kabaddi.

Eying 2036 Olympics hosting rights, India has focused on its mat kabaddi (Asian style) which may be included if it gets the rights to host the world’s biggest extravaganza.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has already submitted a letter of intent to the future host commission of the International Olympic Committee, expressing its interest in hosting the Olympics and Paralympic Games in 2036.