Kabaddi Players Start Preparing for the 2025 GI-PKL

 

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No official dates have been announced for the Global Indian Pravasi Kabaddi League (GI-PKL) yet, but national-level players are already starting to prepare for this. It’s been reported that Kabaddi stars like Sandeep Kandola, Ajay Kumar, Kapil Narwal, and Sawin Narwal are already off to train for the tournament.

 

Sawin Narwal talked about this recently, saying, “The training is going on very well for the Global Indian Pravasi Kabaddi League. I also look forward to playing in the friendly Kabaddi matches organised on campus. I’m very excited for GI-PKL.”

 

Kapil Narwal shared the same enthusiasm and said, “I’m very excited to be a part of GI-PKL. I’ve already played with international players, and I’m looking forward to bringing my A-game again on the mat.”

What’s GI-PKL?

Kabaddi may still be a sport many outside India haven’t heard about, but it’s slowly starting to get its spotlight. The GI-PKL is different from the Pro Kabaddi League and the Indian Premier Kabaddi League, as the latter tournaments are more focused on India’s local talent.

GI-PKL was created by the Holistic International Pravasi Sports Association (HIPSA). It is an international kabaddi league aiming to bring together players and fans from around the globe, especially those with Indian roots. The tournament will also showcase women’s teams.

“The GI-PKL celebrates the rich cultural heritage of India while taking kabaddi to a global audience. We aim to promote equality, empowerment, and unity in the sport by introducing men's and women's teams under one banner,” said Kanthi D. Suresh, HIPSA’s president.

HIPSA did sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Haryana State Government to promote women’s kabaddi worldwide in 2023, so they mean business when it comes to promoting the women’s team. They also signed an MOU with the World Kabaddi Federation based in the UK to make efforts to expand or promote the sport in different continents.

On December 16, 2024, Indian Premier Kabaddi League (IPKL) announced a merger with GI-PKL. In their Instagram post, they explained that this merger will be the biggest kabaddi league in history, with more than 15 countries participating. This is also to help ensure that the sport will finally be included in the Olympics, especially since India will host the 2036 edition.

What We Know So Far About the Upcoming GI-PKL

While dates are still uncertain, the inaugural season of GI-PKL is expected to have 66 matches in total. Fans will indeed have plenty to watch out for, especially those looking to bet on kabaddi matches at 10CRIC and other betting sites.

On December 28, 2024, the IPKL officially announced the teams participating in GI-PKL on Instagram:

Men's Teams: Marathi Vultures, Bhojpuri Leopards, Telugu Panthers, Tamil Lions, Punjabi Tigers, and Haryanvi Sharks.

Women's Teams: Marathi Falcons, Bhojpuri Leopardess, Telugu Cheetahs, Tamil Lioness, Punjabi Tigress, and Haryanvi Eagles.

Aside from Sunil and Kapil, more players have talked about the upcoming GI-PKL, including female kabaddi player M. Anitha. She said she’s thrilled to be part of the GI-PKL and that sharing the dressing room with international players will be a great learning experience and an opportunity to understand different playing styles.

Another women’s player, Arul Santhiya, spoke about this and said, “It’s an incredible feeling to be part of a league that unites players from across the globe. I look forward to sharing strategies and learning from international players. This experience will surely enhance my game.”

Summary

It will be interesting to see how the tournament's first edition will go, as this could dictate whether the sport will make it to the Olympics before or just in time for India to host it. But even without the Olympic agenda, the GI-PKL working with IPKL is a big step towards making kabaddi a more popular sport.

“The excitement around GI-PKL highlights the popularity of Kabaddi and the power of sport to unite cultures and break barriers. The overwhelming response from global and domestic players underscores our vision to create an inclusive and dynamic platform for kabaddi,” the HIPSA president said.

We still have to wait for the official tournament dates, broadcast and streaming partners, and sponsorship announcements. It’s best to keep checking GI-PKL’s official Instagram account. So far, two captains have been announced: Sawin Narwal (Punjabi Tigers) and Kapil Narwal (Marathi Vultures). Expect more similar announcements to be made on their Instagram account.