Top 10 foreign players in the history of Pro Kabaddi League
The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) started in 2014 with the intention of making the sport popular, bigger and better on the international level. The PKL thus had some fantastic foreign players through the years who made the game more exciting. They came, they learned, they led the team, and are now kabaddi stars not only in their own country but in India as well.
Let’s look at these top 10 all-time great overseas players in the Pro Kabaddi League.
#10 Dong Geon Lee
In just three years, this young Korean raider, who started his Pro Kabaddi League career with Tamil Thalaivas in 2017, has an almost 50% success rate in his raids. From the Thalaivas to Gujarat Giants to U Mumba now, Dong Geon has never failed to make an impact. He has thus made it to the 10th spot on our list.
#9 Mohsen Maghsoudloujafari
Mohsen had a stellar performance for the Telugu Titans on his debut in Season 5, scoring 47 points in just 16 matches with a 50% success rate. With his strength being his running hand touch, he is expected to have a great season ahead for U Mumba.
#8 Mohammad Esmaeil Nabibakhsh
Nabibakhsh played just one season where he sizzled with his all-round skills. He was part of the current defending champions’ team and had a major role in taking the Bengal Warriors to the title the previous season.
#7 Abolfazl Maghsodloumahali
Abolfazl, from Iran, made his debut with U Mumba in Season 3, and was later part of the three-time champions team Patna Pirates. Abolfazl scored 97 in 19 games for Dabang Delhi in Season 5, which was the second best haul among the foreign players that season.
With the running hand touch being his specialty, Abolfazl is all set and ready to be the best raider for the Bengaluru Bulls.
#6 Farhad Milaghardan
Farhad Rahimi, who has scored 153 points in total in the Pro Kabaddi League, has a not-out percentage of above 80. The Iranian all-rounder has always been picked by the Telugu Titans at the auction since his debut in Season 5, which shows his consistency in the game.
#5 Meraj Sheykh
Meraj Sheykh is one of the finest all-rounders in the history of the Pro Kabaddi League. Thanks to his ability and strength to perform a great scorpion kick, he was the most successful all-rounder in Season 5 with 119 points in his pocket for Dabang Delhi.
Meraj Sheykh has also led the Iranian team in the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup in India.
#4 Hadi Oshtorak
Two-time champion Hadi Oshtorak, from Iran, has been a known face in the Pro Kabaddi League since Season 2 when he debuted for the Telugu Titans. He has the strength and pace needed to block the raider out of the match.
This season, too, Oshtorak is expected to win the hearts of kabaddi fans by playing for the Gujarat Giants.
#3 Jang Kun Lee
Korean Jang Kun Lee used to be consistently picked by the Bengal Warriors for six straight seasons, which showed how big an asset he was to the team. He also holds the record for the most points by an overseas player in the Pro Kabaddi League.
#2 Abozar Mohajermighani
A defender in the second spot of this list shows how great a player Abozar is. He started his PKL stint in Season 5 with the Gujarat Giants, where he scored 65 defending points in 24 matches, finishing as the most successful defender for the franchise.
#1 Fazel Atrachali
From starting his career in PKL Season 2 as a bench strength for U Mumba to leading the same team in Season 7, Fazel Atrachali has come a long way.
He was also the captain of the Iranian team that defeated India in the 2018 Asian Games to win the gold medal.
The best and all-time great foreign player in the Pro Kabaddi League is undoubtedly none other than Fazel Atrachali.