PKL: Five best overseas raiders of all-time

While foreign raiders haven’t been as successful as foreign defenders in the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), there have been a few successful ones.

The introduction of the Pro Kabaddi League in 2014 saw kabaddi turn into a global phenomenon. The fever has spread not only among Indian fans but also around the world. Teams like Iran and South Korea have produced some of the best players in the last decade.

PKL has seen multiple Indian players produce some enthralling action, there have been few overseas players who have played key roles in teams winning titles. While most of the contributions have come from the defenders, few notable raiders have troubled the opposition defenders.

Let’s look at the five best Raiders from overseas who have made the most impact in PKL history:

Best overseas raiders of all-time in PKL

#5 Abolfazl Maghsodloumahali

One of the finds from the Iran national team was the tall raider in Abolfazl Maghsodloumahali. With over six feet in height, Abolfazl used it to his advantage as he could extend his hands to reach the midline. More importantly, he had the agility and strength to execute successful running touches which made defenders think twice before executing a dash.

He made his debut in season three, with then-defending champions U Mumba. He then joined Patna Pirates for the next season and served as a backup raider to help them defend the title. His skipper in the national team, Meraj Sheykh roped him in for season five and the Iranian had his best season scoring 91 points in 19 games. He has amassed 147 points in 50 games in his PKL career.

#4 Mohammad Esmaeil Nabibakhsh

Mohammad Nabibakhsh made his debut in 2019 and soon established himself as a player to keep an eye on in his debut season. One of the main reasons the Bengal Warriors won their first PKL championship in season seven was his all-around skill. The Iranian amassed 32 tackle points and 92 raid points in his first season.

Most significantly in the playoffs of season seven, their skipper Maninder Singh was injured and ruled out. The Iranian stepped up and ensured Bengal lifted the cup. He continued his form in the next season scoring 122 points for the Warriorz. Since then, his form has dropped drastically, and has been struggling to secure a a place.

Also Read: Top 10 foreign players in the history of Pro Kabaddi League

#3 Meraj Sheykh

The list comes up with yet another Iranian, Meraj Sheykh who was a competent raider and a respectful skipper. He ventured into the league in season two with Telugu Titans scoring a super 10 in his debut game. He played a key role in the team’s fortunes as he led them as their skipper to finish third in the season. He continued with the Titans for another season before shifting his base to Delhi.

He found his true mojo at Dabang Delhi where he became a natural leader building a team from scratch. Although Delhi might not have done well in seasons four and five, it laid the foundation for their growth. The next season saw them make it to the playoffs and in the next season, he helped his team make it to the finals. He might have left the team in season eight, but they went on to win the championship.

#2 Amirmohammad Zafardanesh

U Mumba’s coach, Gholamreza Mazandarani, paid a high price to hire Amirmohammad Zafardanesh for season 10. Although the season might not have gone well for men in orange, but the youngster had a season to remember with 148 points. He took over the role of the lead raider in his debut season and he continued his good run in the next season as well.

He was the sole raider retained, and the Iranian repaid the faith of his coach as he took his team to the playoffs after three seasons. With the talks of him being the next big thing in Iran, he is expected to offer a lot to PKL and U Mumba. The fans will be eager to see him become the most successful overseas raider.

Also Read: What would an all-time PKL team made up of foreigners look like?

#1 Jang Kun-Lee

The list might be filled with Iranians, but a fan-favourite South Korean Jang Kun Lee occupies the top spot. He was one of the few overseas players to have featured in the inaugural edition of the Pro Kabaddi League. Bengal Warriorz roped in him, and he became synonymous with the franchise for the first six seasons. He was consistent scoring a minimum of 50 points in every season with Bengal.

His energy in executing the running touches and the famous ‘Flying Korean Kick’ made fans throng the stadium to watch him. He moved to Patna Pirates for season seven where he continued his good run. But Post-Covid he had a huge dip in form.

Patna bought him back for season 11 but he featured in a solitary game scoring just one point. The fans would want to see the South Korean in full flow adding more to his tally of 471 points.

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