Legends of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) like Anup Kumar, Ajay Thakur, and Rakesh Kumar among other will return to action as the sport travels to Australia for a one-of-a-kind exhibition event, which is set be held at the iconic John Cain Arena on Saturday, December 28, 2024, a day before the mega final of PKL 11.
The event will see four squads taking part in the competition termed PKL Melbourne Raid.
PKL All Star Mavericks, PKL All Star Masters and Pro Kabaddi All Stars will be the three teams comprising of the best Indian Kabaddi talent from the PKL, alongside a star-studded Australian contingent named the Aussie Raiders, as they battle for supremacy in this showcase event.
The PKL Melbourne Raid signifies the growing global appeal of Kabaddi, bringing the spirit and intensity of this traditional sport to the Australian audience.
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Apart from the former players, current PKL stars like Pardeep Narwal, Maninder Singh, and Sachin Tanwar and others are also taking part.
“We are thrilled to be invited by Visit Victoria for a PKL demonstration in Melbourne, one of the world’s foremost sporting destination cities. The PKL Melbourne Raid signifies kabaddi’s growing global appeal, bringing together legends as well as current stars. Coming at the apex phase of the ongoing PKL Season 11, this is a great opportunity to showcase the capabilities of our League, as well as the energy of kabaddi as a truly world-class sport,” said Mr. Anupam Goswami, League Commissioner, PKL.
THE SQUADS
PKL All Star Mavericks
Ajay Thakur (Raider/Captain), Deepak Hooda (Raider), Aadesh (Raider), Rakesh (Raider), Pardeep Narwal (Raider), Nitin Rawal (Left Corner + Raider), Aditya Powar (Left Corner), Nitesh Kumar (Right Corner), Mayur Kadam (Right Cover), Priyank Chandel (Left Cover), Nitin (Left Corner), Sachin (Raider).
Coach: E. Bhaskaran
PKL All Star Masters
Rakesh Kumar (Raider/Captain), Anup Kumar (Raider), Sukesh Hegde (Raider), Jai Bhagwan (Raider), Maninder Singh (Raider), Jeeva Kumar (Left Cover), Sandeep Narwal (Right Cover), Vishal Bhardwaj (Left Corner), Saurabh Nandal (Right Corner), Mohit (Right Cover), Ran Singh (Right/Left Corner), Nitesh (Left Corner).
Coach: B.C. Ramesh
Pro Kabaddi All Stars
Anup Kumar (Raider/Captain), Rakesh Kumar (Raider), Sukesh Hegde (Raider), Jai Bhagwan (Raider), Maninder Singh (Raider), Jeeva Kumar (Left Cover), Sandeep Narwal (Right Cover), Vishal Bhardwaj (Left Corner), Saurabh Nandal (Right Corner), Mohit (Right Cover), Nitesh (Left Corner).
Coach: E. Bhaskaran
Aussie Raiders
Josh Kennedy (Left In/Raider/Captain), Marc Murphy (Corner/Raider), Dan Hannebery (Left Corner), Brett Deledio (Raider), Ben Nugent (Centre/Raider), Billy Gowers (Left Corner/Raider), Michael Hibberd (Left Corner), Trent McKenzie (Right In), Dyson Heppell (Raider/Left Corner), Liam Shiels (Right Corner/Raider).
