Back in 2014, when the Pro Kabaddi (PKL) had just started, two Pakistani army men — Waseem Sajjad and Wajid Ali played in the competition.
No one is surprised by the fact that India and Pakistan’s relations are well known. This has affected the sporting ties as well. Cricket is a prime example. There hasn’t been a IND vs PAK series for ages. Pro Kabaddi, or the PKL, has not been untouched from the sour relationships between the two countries.
Initially when the PKL launched, a number Pakistani players took part in the Pro Kabaddi. However, as tensions grew, their participation was completely halted. The last Pakistani to take the mat in the PKL took place in 2015. Did you know there were a few Pakistani players from the Pak Army who played in the competition?
The two men were all-rounders Waseem Sajjad and Wajid Ali. While Sajjad played for Patna Pirates in 2014 & 2015, Ali was a part of the Telugu Titans. Sajjad had a decent first season for his team, scoring 27 points over 15 matches. In his second season, he was completely ineffective. He played two matches with no points. Ali, on the other hand was unable to produce any notable performances in his four appearances. He scored only five points.
Waseem sajjad, who was overlooked by Pro Kabaddi and announced his retirement for 2019, did so after being overlooked. He also represented Pakistan on the Asian Games stage, but never won gold.
Looking Forward to PKL 2023
Pro Kabaddi 2023 will start from December 2, and all the teams and players would be looking to make the most of the opportunity. Before moving on to the playoffs, each team will play their opponents twice across 12 different venues. The first match of the season will be played in Ahmedabad between Gujarat Giants vs Telugu Titans.