PKL 2019: Country-wise list of foreign players

With every season, the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) is getting bigger and better, and with the terrific response to the sport at the 2018 Asian Games, the franchise-based league is gearing up for yet another season of exciting action.

After a successful outing at the Asian Games, all teams had their eyes on the Iranian players, and this season will see a record of 15 Iranians featuring in the league. Mohammad Esmaeil Nabibakhsh turned out to be the most sought after foreign player at the auction with the Bengal Warriors shelling out a whopping ₹ 77.75 lakh for the Iranian all-rounder.

Historically in the PKL, the contribution of foreign players has been substantial with players like Jang Kun Lee, Meraj Sheykh, Fazel Atrachali, and Abozar Mighani becoming household names.

The inclusion of more such talented and skilled players in the upcoming season will lead to a rise in the level of the competition, leading to the overall betterment of Indian kabaddi and kabaddi in general.

As we build-up to PKL season 7, here's a look at all the foreign players, some old, some new, who would be representing their sides in the upcoming competition.

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Bangladesh

Raider: Md. Masud Karim (U.P. Yoddha)

All-Rounder: Mohammad Shazid Hossain (Gujarat Fortune Giants)

Iran

Raider: Mohammad Taghi (Bengal Warriors), Abolfazl Maghsodloumahali (Gujarat Fortunegiants), Amirhossein Mohammad Maleki (Haryana Steelers), Mohammad Esmaeil Maghsoudlou Mahalli (Patna Pirates), Emad Sedaghatnia (Puneri Paltan)

Defender: Saeid Ghaffari (Dabang Delhi K.C.), Hadi Tajik (Puneri Paltan), Milad Sheibak (Tamil Thalaivas), Abozar Mohajermighani (Telugu Titans), Fazel Atrachali (U Mumba)

All-Rounder: Mohammad Esmaeil Nabibaksh (Bengal Warriors), Meraj Sheykh (Dabang Delhi K.C.), Hadi Oshtorak (Patna Pirates), Farhad Rahimi Milaghardan (Telugu Titans), Mohsen Maghsoudloujafari (U.P. Yoddha)

Kenya

All-Rounder: Victor Onyango Obeiro (Tamil Thalaivas)

Nepal

Raider: Lal Mohar Yadav (Bengaluru Bulls)

All-Rounder: Sanjay Shrestha (Bengaluru Bulls)

Republic of Korea (South Korea)

Raider: Jang Kun Lee (Patna Pirates), Dong Geon Lee (U Mumba)

Defender: Young Chang Ko (U Mumba)

All-Rounder: Dong Gyu Kim (Jaipur Pink Panthers)

Sri Lanka

Raider: Milinda Chathuranga (Jaipur Pink Panthers)

Thailand

All-Rounder: Tin Phonchoo (Haryana Steelers)

USA

All-Rounder: Dewitt Jennings (Telugu Titans)