Pro Kabaddi League 2024: Best foreign playing 7 of the season
The 10th season of the Pro Kabaddi League ended on March 1, 2024, with Puneri Paltan winning their first-ever title after beating Haryana Steelers in the final. As many as 12 teams locked horns with each other in a double round-robin format, with the top six teams advancing to the knockouts.
Puneri Paltan and Jaipur Pink Panthers claimed the first and second spots, respectively, after the league-stage matches. Jaipur Pink Panthers had the chance to defend their title but they lost to Haryana Steelers in the semi-final encounter.
The Steelers, however, couldn’t replicate that performance against the mighty Puneri Paltans. Nevertheless, fans were thrilled to see action-packed entertainment for close to three months.
A lot of young Indian players made their name on the big stage this season. Amidst that, some of the overseas talents also made their presence felt in the Pro Kabaddi League. On that note, let’s chalk up the best foreign 7 of the PKL 2024 season:
Fazel Atrachali (Gujarat Giants)
One of the biggest stars in the Pro Kabaddi League, Fazel Atrachali doesn’t need any introduction. He led the Gujarat Giants team in Season 10 of the PKL but, unfortunately, couldn’t take them to the playoffs. His performances, though, deserve to take a look.
In 23 matches, the Iranian defender accumulated 62 tackle points and four raid points. He attempted a total of 121 tackles and made four super tackles. His performance in PKL 2023-24 was better than that of the last two seasons.
Mohammadreza Shadlu (Puneri Paltan)
In just three seasons, Mohammadreza Shadlu has made a plethora of fans in the sport of kabaddi. He played for Puneri Paltan in the recently concluded PKL season and finished with the most number of tackle points.
In 24 matches, Shadlu accumulated 99 tackle points and 27 raid points. His mighty impressive performance helped the Puneri Paltan lift their first-ever PKL trophy. This was the second time when the Iranian all-rounder has accumulated the most tackle points in a season.
Amirmohammad Zafardanesh (U Mumba)
Playing only in his debut season, the Iranian all-rounder Amirmohammad Zafardanesh left everyone in awe with his performance on the kabaddi mat. U Mumba bought his services for INR 68 lakh and the Iranian ensured he lived up to the expectations.
In 20 matches played this season, Zafardanesh accumulated 141 raid points and seven tackle points. U Mumba might not have enjoyed an ideal season but found a new gem who could serve them for many more coming years.
Mohammad Nabibakhsh (Gujarat Giants)
The Gujarat Giants bought experienced all-rounder Mohammad Nabibakhsh ahead of Season 10. Skipper Fazel Atrachali expressed a lot of faith in his ability because of the balance he provides with his all-round ability.
However, his performances, in the last couple of years, haven’t inspired a lot of confidence. In 21 matches played for the team this season, Nabibaksh accumulated 16 tackle points and 12 raid points.
Hamid Nader (Puneri Paltans)
The Iranian all-rounder didn’t get a lot of chances last year to showcase his mettle. However, the Paltans showed faith in him in Season 10 and added him frequently in the playing seven.
He played 18 matches and garnered 15 tackle points and five raid points.
Vahid RezaEimehr (Puneri Paltan)
The Iranian defender made his PKL debut this season for Puneri Paltan. He got the chance to play five matches and earned six tackle points out of nine attempted tackles.
Besides, he made two super tackles, highlighting his ability on the kabaddi mat. The fans would be hoping that he gets more chances in the upcoming seasons of the Pro Kabaddi League.
Amirhossein Bastami (Tamil Thalaivas)
The Iranian defender turned up for Tamil Thalaivas in Season 10 of the Pro Kabaddi League. He played 15 matches for the team and earned 21 tackle points and one raid point. The franchise would be hoping that he makes the required improvement in his game and dishes out better performances in the next season.