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A sport that has become a household name in recent times, Pickleball is en route to becoming one of India's more popular sports. It has seen people of all ages and backgrounds pick up a pickleball paddle and get moving.
The Khar Gymkhana Pickleball League, which is returning for its fifth edition, is all set to be hosted in Mumbai from December 20 to 23, and will feature some of the biggest names in Indian pickleball.
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Starring in the event will be Armaan Bhatia, who is on his way to becoming one of India's greats in the sport. Nicknamed the 'Golden Boy' of Indian pickleball, Armaan is the No. 1 player across Asia and Australia.
Armaan is also a Triple Crown winner at the PWR India Masters in Delhi and has gained international recognition, being the top player at PPA Australia.
Along with Armaan, participating in season 5 will be defensive specialist Harsh Mehta, nicknamed 'The Wall'. Harsh has multiple laurels and is a doubles specialist. He is the No. 1 doubles player across Asia and Australia, and was the top player at PPA Australia. Harsh was also the MVP at MLP Australia.
Another player headlining the tournament will be Aditya Ruhela, who has risen to become one of the best singles players in Asia. He won the Singles event at PPA Vietnam this very year and bagged the Gold medal in the Open Singles category at the 2023 Nationals. In the same Nationals, he also won a Silver in the Open Doubles, making him a lethal threat in both categories.
KGPL Season 5: 11 teams to feature in the league
The league invited registrations till October 20, post which the auction was hosted on November 26, wherein each team signed players. The teams participating are Globe Guidance, Nagpal Warriors, Ergo You Super Dinkers, Pickleball United, Super Smashers, Ekta Parivaar, SKC Sosar Titans, Dinkers PC, Royal Raiders, Chhabria Uprisers & Pickleball Socials.
The stage is set for one of India's biggest pickleball showdowns and the sport that has exploded in India. According to reports, India has over 1000 pickleball courts already, with Mumbai and Ahmedabad emerging as major hubs, and such tournaments hosted by Khar Gymkhana are only further popularising and helping the sport grow.
