Good Sports: Kabaddi Aims to Get Foothold in Australia
A few thousand fans showed up at John Cain Arena in Melbourne recently to watch an exhibition kabaddi match between the Aussie Raiders, a team of former players from the Australian Football League (AFL), and the Pro Kabaddi All Stars. The match, sponsored by the state government of Victoria, was not just about entertaining the fans in the audience, but also impressing fans watching in India.
“Officials hope tens of millions of Indians were watching the broadcast back home—and slowly coming to realise that a trip to Melbourne might be just the thing,” wrote Jack Snape of The Guardian.
Kabaddi officials hope to tap into the sports rivalry between the two nations that cricket has stoked. The kabaddi exhibition was held during the fourth Test between India and Australia, which set an attendance record at Melbourne Cricket Grounds, drawing more than 373,691 people over five days.
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Compiled and partly written by Indian humorist MELVIN DURAI, author of the novel Bala Takes the Plunge.
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