Pakistan won the opening match of the Kabaddi World Cup 2020 against Canada

USPA NEWS - LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar inaugurated first Kabaddi World Cup in Pakistan at Punjab Stadium on Sunday, saying that it was a great honour for the Punjab government to host the tournament.

Buzdar inaugurated the world cup being hosted for the first time in Pakistan. Both leaders jointly administered oath to players from 10 countries “” Pakistan, India, Canada, the United States, Australia, England, Iran, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Azerbaijan.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, the chief minister said Punjab had been bestowed with the honour of hosting the Kabaddi World Cup for the first time in the history of Pakistan. “I wholeheartedly welcome all the players of nine best teams from around the world. Pakistan is an ideal land for playing all types of sports and we will continue holding sports competitions to keep advancing forward,“ he maintained.

Speaking on the occasion, Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi thanked Chief Minister Buzdar for nicely hosting the Kabaddi World Cup. “By holding this event the aspirations of our elders have been fulfilled,“ he said. Punjab Minister for Sports, Youth Affairs and Tourism Rai Taimoor Bhatti complimented Buzdar for extending his all-out support for holding the world cup. He highlighted that the chief minister had also approved the construction of a five-star hotel near Gaddafi Stadium. This hotel will be constructed in a year and players will stay there afterwards. After its construction, it is hoped that the citizens will be saved from traffic problems during matches at the stadium. Pakistan Kabaddi Federation President Chaudhry Shafay Hussain and the Punjab sports secretary also addressed the ceremony. Usman Buzdar also distributed prizes among the players for winning Chief Minister´s Polo Cup 2020 final match at Polo Ground Race Course. President Polo Club Malik Atif Yar Tiwana, Senior Member Polo Club Ishaq Khaqwani, Col. (R) Mudassar, Commissioner Lahore Division and concerned officers were also present on this occasion. Usman Buzdar while expressing his views on this occasion said that despite passage of 800 years polo is still a popular sport today and historical polo club of Lahore has become a proud identity and symbol of Pakistan for polo spectators all over the world. Polo is not only a mere sport but is also combination of discipline and timing, he added. Sport like polo not only plays a pivotal role in promoting physical but also mental health and sport is inevitable for maintaining healthy body and positive thinking, he maintained. When playgrounds are inhabited then hospitals become desolate.

We have to inhabit our playgrounds to the maximum so that number of people visiting hospitals decrease. I congratulate all the players for winning the final match. Winning and losing is part of game but sportsman spirit matters in the end which also helps in practical life, concluded Usman Buzdar.

Pakistan 1st Kabaddi world 2020 Started on 9th the tournament will end on February 6, 2020. The matches will be played in three cities of Punjab ““ Lahore, Gujrat and Faisalabad. Teams participating in the event are Pakistan, India, Canada, the United States, Australia, England, Iran, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Azerbaijan.