The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) will be entering its 11th edition. One of the most followed sports after the Indian Premier League (IPL) in India. The league features some of the greatest kabaddi players from across the world. The auction for PKL 11 will take place on August 15th and 16th. The league may begin in October. Due to COVID-19-related travel limitations, the last two seasons were from December to February.
Foreign players from across the world come and take part in the event. The trajectory of success shows the infusion of international players who have elevated the league to unprecedented heights. Players from Iran, Sri Lanka, and South Korea have predominantly played the most in the PKL. Most notably, players from Iran have achieved a lot of success.
Puneri Paltan was the winner of PKL 10 and they won 17 games and were in amazing form throughout the tournament. They would like to defend their silverware for the forthcoming season. In the article, we will take a look at some of the best international athletes to feature in PKL history.
Here are the top 5 International athletes in the Pro Kabaddi League
5. Mohsen Maghsoudlou
Mohsen Maghsoudlou was amazing while playing for the Telugu Titans in the PKL’s sixth season. He was an excellent all-around player back then, scoring over 29 raid points and 27 tackle points. He performed consistently, despite finishing 9th on the table. The all-rounder played his final season in the 2022 edition for the Titans. Since then he has not featured in the league.
4. Mohammed Esmail Nabibakhsh
Mohammed Esmail Nabibakhsh is one of the legends in PKL history. The Iranian is one of the exceptional all-rounders in the Pro Kabaddi League. He helped the Bengal Warriors to win their maiden PKL title in the seventh season. The all-rounder has scored over 122 points in 23 appearances in the league.
3. Jang Kun Lee
Jang Kun Lee is the first overseas player in the Pro Kabaddi League to score 400 raid points. The former South Korean is the most successful foreign raider in the league. In 106 appearances overall, Lee has scored 471 points. Started his career with Bengal Warriors and now he features for the Patna Pirates.
2. Mohammadreza Shadlou
Mohammadreza Shadlou started his career two seasons back and quickly adapted to the league. He earned 89 tackle points and 10 High Fives in just 24 matches. His defensive prowess reached new heights in the following season. Shadlou had 84 tackle points in 20 games. His standout achievement includes an awe-inspiring 16 tackle points in a single game. This shows his defensive prowess.
1. Fazel Atrachali
Fazel Atrachali is the legend of PKL. In terms of longevity, he is the oldest foreigner to be there in the league. The Iranian defender first featured in the second season of the league and still he is playing. He is a two-time winner of the league with U Mumba and Patna Pirates. Fazel has also led Gujarat Giants and Puneri Paltan in the final of the league in two respective seasons.
