The matches of Dr B R Ambedkar 6th World Cup Kabaddi 2016 were held today at the ancestral village of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha at the Hi-Tech Sports Park, village Sarabha (Ludhiana). This is the first time that Sarabha village hosted the World Cup Kabaddi matches and the matches were held in a jam packed stadium, with record participation of female spectators.A total of five matches were played today. The Indian men and women teams started their quest by scoring easy victories over their opponents. In other matches played during the day, teams from Iran, England and Canada also scored victories.Prominent among those present on the occasion included Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, former minister Hira Singh Gabria, MLA Ranjit Singh Dhillon, Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board chairman Santa Singh Umedpuri, Punjab Traders Board vice chairman Madan Lal Bagga, Punjab Kabaddi Association Vice Chairman Tejinder Singh Middukhera, Block Samiti Chairman Harbir Singh Ayali, Senior Youth Akali leader Harkinder Singh Ayali, Zila Parishad member Harpreet Singh Shivalik, Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat, Director Sports Punjab Rahul Gupta, SSP Ludhiana Rural Opinderjit Singh Ghuman, Assistant Director (Sports) Kartar Singh Sehmby, besides several others.
BOX: MATCH 1: MEN SECTION: ENGLAND DEFEAT SWEDEN 57-23:
During the first match of pool A of men section played at Hi-Tech Sports Park at Sarabha village, England team defeated Sweden by 57-23. The England team maintained an easy lead right from the start of the match, which proved beneficial in the end as they scored an easy victory over their opponents. The England team scored their first victory of this mega sporting event. From England side, raiders Avtar Singh and Gurdeep Singh scored 10 points each and Narwinder Singh scored 9 points. From stoppers, Kamaldeep Riar scored 11 points and Paramjit scored 4 points.
BOX: MATCH 2: MEN SECTION: INDIA DEFEAT SIERRA LEONE BY 46-38:
The five time champion Indian team started their quest in this mega sporting tournament by defeating their opponents Sierra Leone by 46-38. For Indian team, raiders Sultan, Jashanpreet Singh Raju and Manjot Singh Gill scored 8 points each and Jagmohan Singh scored 7 points. Stoppers Khushdeep Singh Khushi and Ranjodh Singh scored 3 and 2 points respectively. For Sierra Leone, raiders Biggy Boy scored 9 points and Mani scored 8 points while stopper Campbell scored 1 point for his team.
BOX: MATCH 3: MEN SECTION: CANADA DEFEAT SRI LANKA BY 60-27:
The Canadian team scored first match of World Cup Kabaddi by defeating Sri Lanka with a big margin of 60-27. Canadian raiders Inderjit Singh scored 14, Ranjodh Singh scored 10 and Aman Kundi scored 9 points whereas stoppers Jasdeep Singh and Sandeep scored 5 points each and Baljit Singh Saidoke scored 4 points.
BOX: MATCH 4: WOMEN SECTION: INDIA DEFEAT KENYA BY 45-15:
Four time winner Indian team scored their first victory of the World Cup Kabaddi by defeating Kenya by a big margin of 45-15. For Indian team, raiders Meena and Harvinder Kaur scored 6 points each and Karmi scored 5 points and stoppers Khushboo and Sukhdeep Kaur scored four points each and Jasbir Kaur scored 3 points. Kenyan raiders Lilian, E Stara Nijual and Sofia scored 4 points each and stopper Nidiya Leh Vasbery secured 2 points for their team.
BOX: MATCH 5: MEN SECTION: IRAN DEFEAT TANZANIA BY 62-23:
The Iran team which had stood third during the 5th World Cup Kabaddi once again won hearts of spectators with their game as they defeated their opponents Tanzania by 62-23. Iran raiders Mugadeen Mohammad scored 8, Naddafi Khalif scored 7 and stopper Sahraei Naseer secured 5 for their team and for Tanzania, raider Benjamin scored 7 points.
BOX: HI-TECH SPORTS PARK BECOMES CENTRE OF ATTRACTION:
The Hi-Tech sports park at village Sarabha became a centre of attraction for all the spectators as well as the participants, who were left awestruck with the kind of infrastructure developed by Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali. While speaking on the occasion, MLA Ayali informed that for promoting sports culture in the Dakha constituency, he has developed more than 70 such parks in different villages of Dakha. He said that constructed with a cost of more than Rs 35 crore, these parks are one of their kind in any rural area of the country.