Iran to host Junior (Under-19) Kabaddi World Cup 2019
According to Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF)'s information, Iran is expected to host the 2019 Junior (Under-19) Kabaddi World Cup which is slated to be held later this summer.
Information provided by Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) says that Junior Kabaddi World Cup is likely to be held in Iran later this summer, to which PKF Secretary, Mohammad Sarwar disclosed that the world cup will be a first of a kind event in which Under-19 players will feature and is proposed to be held in Iran in September.
Sarwar will be departing for Chinese Taipei on 14th May to attend a meeting of the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) where activities calendar for 2019 and some discussion on new rules and other topics regarding Junior World Cup (Asian Style) will be held.
Mohammad Sarwar has led Pakistan Kabaddi Team from 1989 to 2004 in international events and he expressed that holding events like Junior World Cup is important.
“It will help nations build their nurseries which will in turn strengthen their kabaddi future,”
PKF is alos planning to hold Inter-Provincial Under-19 Championship and National Under-19 Kabaddi Championship after Ramzan so as to form a strong team for the upcoming World Cup.
“We will soon hold such events after Eid Ul Fitr to form a good team for World Cup,” the official said.
He said that the PKF would be working on two teams. The juniors would be preparing for the global event and the seniors for the 13th South Asian Games.
“We have requested the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and hopefully we will get camps for both the assignments. Pakistan would have to make all-out effort to revitalize the sport as several other nations had improved. Iran and South Korea have improved a lot. Definitely the nations who work harder get improved. We have already picked 30 juniors after extensive trials and I hope they are capable of becoming future stars. The Under-19 World Cup will also help us find such players who would be able to participate in the 2022 Asian Games.
Pakistan claimed fifth bronze in the continent’s biggest kabaddi event while India finished one step behind on the fourth spot. Pakistan were the runners-up in the Asian Games in 1994 and 1998 as well. Iran became the only team after India in the Asian Games kabaddi history to win the title when they beat South Korea in the decider.
The PKF Secretary also disclosed that the Super Kabaddi League (SKL) would also held in August and September and informed that the league got delayed because some of the players had gone to England and Canada for professional leagues. SKL was launched last year in Lahore in which a bunch of foreign players were also seen in action. Strawberry Sports Management owns the league. PKF provides technical support.
