5 forgotten players who once played in the PKL
Pro Kabaddi 2023 (PKL 10) will begin on Saturday, December 1, in Ahmedabad. 12 teams, namely Telugu Titans, Gujarat Giants, U Mumba, UP Yoddhas, Haryana Steelers, Patna Pirates, Bengaluru Bulls, Bengal Warriors, Dabang Delhi KC, Jaipur Pink Panthers, Puneri Paltan, and Tamil Thalaivas, will compete in the tournament.
PKL started in 2014, with players from different parts of the world competing in an IPL-style tournament. The tournament was a hit right from the inaugural season, and it has millions of fans now.
Over the last decade, a lot of players have immortalized themselves with their top-quality performances in the PKL. While fans will always remember the top match-winners, here are five talented players whom the kabaddi universe may have forgotten about.
#1 Tae Deok Eom
Korean players like Jang Kun Lee and Dong Geon Lee are quite popular in PKL history. Their compatriot Tae Deok Eom also impressed the fans with his athleticism while playing for the Patna Pirates.
He turned up for Patna from seasons one to three and then played for them in season six. In all, he earned 22 points in 35 matches. The all-rounder did not record any Super 10 or High 5, but he was a team man and cheered a lot for his teammates while on the bench.
#2 Waseem Sajjad, Patna Pirates
Not too many Pakistani talents have been a part of the Pro Kabaddi League. Veteran Pakistani all-rounder Waseem Sajjad played for the Patna Pirates in the first two seasons of PKL.
He was a regular part of the playing seven in season one, where he earned 27 points in 15 matches. In season two, Sajjad scored zero points in the two games that he played.
#3 Jitesh Joshi, Puneri Paltan
Jitesh Joshi had a brief stint with Puneri Paltan during the first two Pro Kabaddi League seasons. His official PKL profile states that he is a defender, but he scored lots of points as a raider.
Joshi earned 53 points in 14 matches for Pune in season one, while in season two, he finished with 16 points in five games. He even captained Paltan in season two.
#4 Michal Spiczko, Bengaluru Bulls
Poland kabaddi team has not achieved much success at the international level, but their captain Michal Spiczko received an opportunity to play for the Bengaluru Bulls in the Pro Kabaddi League.
Spiczko was a part of the Bulls squad in seasons two and three. He mainly played as a substitute player for the Bulls.
#5 David Mosambayi played for 3 PKL teams
Kenyan raider David Mosambayi had a stint with three different Pro Kabaddi League teams during his career. Mosambayi first received a contract from Puneri Paltan in the third season. He played only one match for them, where he could not open his account.
After missing season four, David joined Haryana Steelers for season five. Playing under Surender Nada's captaincy, David scored two points in two matches. In season six, he got a chance to play with the likes of Anup Kumar and Deepak Niwas Hooda at Jaipur Pink Panthers. Mosambayi earned four points in four matches of that tournament.