GI-PKL: Tamil Lions to take on Punjabi Tigers in opening game on April 18

IANS April 4, 2025 174 views

The Global Indian Pravasi Kabaddi League (GI-PKL) begins on April 18 with Tamil Lions taking on Punjabi Tigers in the opening match. Women's matches start the next day, featuring teams like Marathi Falcons and Telugu Cheetahs. The league stage runs until April 27, followed by knockout rounds and finals on April 30. HIPSA President Kanthi D. Suresh highlights the league's focus on gender equality in sports.

"A platform like this ensures more gender equality, something as a woman in the business of sports myself, feel strongly about." - Kanthi D. Suresh, HIPSA President
Gurugram, April 4: The Global Indian Pravasi Kabaddi League (GI-PKL) has announced the full schedule of the upcoming event which gets underway from April 18 in Gurugram.

Key Points

1

GI-PKL starts April 18 with Tamil Lions vs Punjabi Tigers

2

Women's matches begin April 19 with Marathi Falcons vs Telugu Cheetahs

3

League stage runs till April 27 before knockout rounds

4

Finals for both men and women set for April 30

The tournament will commence with men's matches on the opening day. The first-ever match of GI-PKL will see Tamil Lions take on Punjabi Tigers in the tournament opener. The second fixture of the day will feature Haryanvi Sharks locking horns with Telugu Panthers, followed by a clash between Marathi Vultures and Bhojpuri Leopards in the third match.

The women's matches will get underway on April 19 with Marathi Falcons facing Telugu Cheetahs in the first match. Punjabi Tigress and Bhojpuri Leopardess will face off in the second game while Haryanvi Eagles and Tamil Lioness will lock horns on Day 2.

The league stage will run until April 27, leading to the knockout rounds. The men's semi-finals are scheduled for April 28, followed by the women's semifinals on April 29.

The tournament will culminate in the grand finals for both men's and women's categories on April 30, where the ultimate champions of the inaugural GI-PKL season will be crowned.

Speaking about the league and announcement of the schedule, Holistic International Pravasi Sports Association (HIPSA), president Kanthi D. Suresh said, "Drawing up a fixture schedule with men & women playing alongside one another, in itself is exciting. A platform like this ensures more gender equality, something as a woman in the business of sports myself, feel strongly about. It's a satisfactory beginning to a long journey ahead."

The GI-PKL Championship Trophy stands out as a symbol of ultimate supremacy in the league, adding an exciting layer of competition. While both the men's and women's teams will have their respective winners, only one team will earn the honour of lifting the grand Championship Trophy and it could be either a men's or a women's team

Women's Teams: Marathi Falcons, Bhojpuri Leopardess, Telugu Cheetahs, Tamil Lioness, Punjabi Tigress, and Haryanvi Eagles.

Men's Teams: Marathi Vultures, Bhojpuri Leopards, Telugu Panthers, Tamil Lions, Punjabi Tigers, and Haryanvi Sharks.

Reader Comments

Here are 6 authentic comment cards for the article:
R
Rahul K.
Can't wait for the Tamil Lions vs Punjabi Tigers opener! Both teams have strong players. Hope they show some amazing kabaddi moves 🔥
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Priya M.
Love that they're giving equal importance to women's kabaddi! The Telugu Cheetahs vs Marathi Falcons match sounds exciting. Will be rooting for my home team!
A
Amit S.
The team names are creative but I wish they had included more regional diversity. Maybe teams from Northeast India could have been added too?
S
Sunita R.
As a kabaddi coach, I'm thrilled to see this league happening! The mixed schedule is innovative. Hope this inspires more kids to take up the sport 🤸‍♀️
V
Vikram J.
The championship trophy concept is interesting! Imagine if a women's team wins the grand trophy - that would be historic for kabaddi!
N
Neha P.
Excited but wish they had more matches in different cities instead of just Gurugram. Would love to watch live in Mumbai! Still, great initiative 👏

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
GI-PKL Kabaddi League Tamil Lions Punjabi Tigers Kanthi D Suresh HIPSA Sports News
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