Lahore Lions kabaddi team leave for India

Lahore: Sports Board Punjab’s Lahore Lions kabaddi team has left for India on Saturday for the second leg matches of World Kabaddi League (WKL). The in-form SBP kabaddi team was seen off by Director Sports SBP Jalil Chohan and Media Manager Abdur Rauf Roofi at National Hockey Stadium at 3.30pm.

Overall, Lahore Lions kabaddi team will play three matches in India. Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi will host first two matches on August 24 and 30. Punjab Thunder will be the first rivals of Lahore Lions kabbadi team followed by another match against Khalsa Warriors at New Delhi. The Lahore boys will play their third match against Punjab Thunder in Ludhiana on September 7, 2014.

Talking to the media, Director Sports SBP Jalil Chohan said that SBP kabaddi team has offered incredible performance in England and we expect that they will give equally good performance in India. Media Manager Abdur Rauf Roofi told the media that SBP kabaddi team were in good shape and we are squite confident that they will not let their nation down on Indian soil.

Babar Waseem Gujjar, the captain of Lahore Lions team, in his address, expressed his determination to offer better performance in India. “Definitely, it will be a tough task for us to beat our opponents on Indian soil but we are quite determined and prepared for upcoming challenging encounters of the event,” he vowed. Ghulam Abbas Butt, the head coach of Lahore Lions team, on this occasion said that there is no doubt in it that Sports Board Punjab has given a new life to Pakistan kabbadi. “DG SBP Usman Anwar has rendered great services for Pakistan kabaddi and he has remarkable role in Pakistan team’s respectable status in world kabaddi community,” he elaborated.

It is pertinent to mention here that Lahore Lions kabaddi team won two World Kabaddi League matches in England. In the first clash, they routed Canada’s Vancouver Lions by 74-61 in London on August 10 while Royal Kings USA were their next victim, whom they thrashed by 62-50 without much trouble at LG Arena Birmingham on August 16.

Following are the members of Lahore Lions kabaddi team: Babar Waseem Gujjar (captain), Lala Ubaid Ullah, Shafiq Chishti, Akmal Shahzad Dogar, M Ramzan, M Khalid, Arshad Mehmood, Mohsin Naseer, M Waqas Raheem, Naeem Tahir Sindhu, M Aslam, Matloob Ali, Saif Ullah, M Naeem.

Reserve players: Shabbir Hussain Butt, Rehman Ishtiaq, Khalil Ahmed.

Officials: M Waqas Akbar (manager), Ghulam Abbas Butt, (coach), M Sarwar (assistant coach).