Pakistan defeated the United States 41-33 to lift the second New Zealand Kabaddi World Cup in Auckland on Sunday.
Teams from India, Canada, Australia and New Zealand also competed in the one-day event at the Sikh Sports Complex in the South Auckland suburb of Takanini.
More than 70 kabaddi players showcased their skills during the competition, with Pakistan's Rana Ali Shaan winning the award for best stopper of the tournament and compatriot Bilal Moshin Dhillon picking up the award for best raider.
Kabaddi is a contact sport that has origins in the Indian subcontinent. The sport has two styles of play: a "standard" style that is typically played indoors and a "circle" style that is played outdoors.
Teams aim to score points by raiding their opponent's court, touching as many defence players as possible in a single breath and returning to one's court without getting caught.
Pakistan defeated the United States 41-33 in the final on Sunday. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom
Giving credit to his team, inspirational Pakistan captain Bilal Aslam Gill noted how the squad's experience last year helped it lift the trophy.
Pakistan placed third in the inaugural 2023 New Zealand Kabaddi World Cup.
"Our experience of coming here and playing kabaddi in front of such a supportive and well-informed crowd has been amazing," Gill said. "The organising committee deserves credit for organising such a fair and competitive tournament."
The Pakistan team received applause and praise from the local South Asian community for the skills it displayed during the tournament.
Asim Mukhtar, who comes from Lahore in Pakistan and immigrated to New Zealand in 2014, was delighted to watch Pakistan lift the trophy.
"This victory is remarkable considering the background of some of the Pakistani players, many of whom come from less privileged circumstances and are largely self-supported and self-trained," Mukhtar said.
"I hope this success inspires Pakistani Punjabi supporters to cherish and support the players and the game, much like how the Sikh community has been passionately promoting kabaddi across the world."
Kabaddi is a contact sport that has origins in the Indian subcontinent. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom
Mukhtar was pleased to see kabaddi supporters transcending national boundaries and cheering for anyone displaying good skills.
"Kabaddi clearly holds deep cultural significance and importance for everyone [in South Auckland], and it was heart-warming to see so much support for the Pakistani team," Mukhtar said. "It was a beautiful example of sportsmanship and cultural pride coming together."
Supreet Singh, who hails from Amritsar in the Indian state of Punjab and now lives in Tauranga, shared similar sentiments, calling the tournament the best he had seen in New Zealand.
Sethi Harkhowal, captain of the Canadian team, agreed.
"While the overall level of kabaddi may be higher at other places [including Canada], the sport is definitely growing in New Zealand year by year," Harkhowal said.
Kamaljit Singh Ranewal Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom
Kamaljit Singh Ranewal, president of the New Zealand Sikh Sports Complex, said organisers took three months to prepare for the event.
"Circle-style kabaddi is the native - mother game so to say - of our Punjab," Ranewal said.
"It is played and is most popular on both sides of the border - Indian Punjab as well as Pakistani Punjab," he said.
"It is becoming increasingly popular here as well, with us having to expand the capacity of the purpose-built kabaddi stadium every year."
Organisers made sure the tournament looked more professional this year.
"We brought in international referees and officials especially for the tournament to make sure everything is done according to the laws of the game," said Daljit Singh, a spokesperson for the Supreme Sikh Society.
Makkhan Ali Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom
An integral part of kabaddi tournaments everywhere is the continuous, insightful commentary.
Makkhan Ali, a talented kabaddi commentator who comes from Kapurthala in Indian Punjab and now lives in Calgary in Canada, has been a regular presence in the New Zealand kabaddi scene since 2005.
"Kabaddi is a very fast paced sport," Ali said. "Every match is 45 minutes long, and every raid is of 30 seconds. We need to match our commentary with live events on the field. That's why the commentary in our sport is non-stop. There is never a dull moment in a kabaddi match."
Ali praised the Sikh Sports Complex, which organisers claimed to be the "only dedicated kabaddi stadium in the world outside India".
"While kabaddi elsewhere may have better competition and higher prize money, New Zealand can pride itself for creating such a dedicated world-class kabaddi facility," he said.
A boisterous crowd of thousands watched Pakistan defeat the United States in a hotly contested final. Photo: Supplied / Takanini Gurdwara Sahib
