AHMEDABAD: When the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup was announced to be held in Ahmedabad from October 7 to 22, there were major apprehensions regarding the event. Could it have the same impact as the franchise-based and more entertainment-related, Pro Kabaddi League? Would people be interested in watching kabaddi live, never mind on TV? How would the quality of matches be, knowing most of the 12 teams participating are still in their infancy when it came to the sport?
But all those fears have been drowned out by the sheer numbers of fans who have been flocking the TransStadia Arena here, not to mention TV viewership all over the world. And the most satisfying aspect of the World Cup has been the way fans have supported every team. While India are the obvious favourites, fans have been quick to acknowledge other teams, cheering them at every step. And the last few days have seen some huge upsets as well, thus adding to the spectacle.
If Kenya’s win over Japan on Sunday was a big talking point, Poland’s stunning win over title contenders Iran on Monday was perhaps the biggest shock of them all. So much so that Iran didn’t even speak to the media after the match. But Poland captain Michal Spiczko was over the moon. “The win over Iran is huge for us. Obviously, the first four matches didn’t go as planned, and we lost all. But claiming a win in our last match, that too over a team as strong as Iran, will give us so much confidence going forward, and we can now say that we are ready to mix it with the best. It’s a huge day for the sport in Poland as well as Europe,” said an elated Spiczko.
Kenya coach Laventa Oguto, meanwhile, feels the win over Japan was proof that Kenya are not laggards, despite being new to the game. “We had not played even one international game prior to this event. But we have played so well that we are still in semifinal reckoning. That shows that no team can be taken for granted,” noted Oguto.
Perhaps, India’s shock loss to a Jang Kun Lee-inspired Korea in the tournament opener set the tone, but the event has so far been a success on all counts.
Results: Poland 69-22 Iran; Australia 8-80 Bangladesh (world record win).
raviiyer@newindianexpress.com