MUMBAI: The Patna franchise of the Pro Kabaddi league has been finally christened as Patna Pirates. The owner of the franchise Rajesh Shah, announced the name of the team at a press conference. Unveiling the logo, Shah expressed his hope that Patna Pirates which is being led by Arjuna awardee and ace player Rakesh Kumar would bring accolades to the ancient city of India.

The league which is set to begin in July this year has eight teams from various cities. Captain Rakesh Kumar is the most expensive player in the league who was bought for a record fee of Rs 12. 8 lakh. Kumar had also won a gold at the Asian Indoor games 2013 and Asian Games 2010.

Commenting on launch, Shah said, “We are delighted to launch our team identity today. Kabaddi is an Indian game with historical relevance and has a potential to become a global sport. There is huge talent for the game in our country and I hope the team will showcase the resilient ethos of the people of Patna. I appeal to the people of this city to come forward and support Patna Pirates. We have a state of the art facility in the Kankarbagh indoor stadium, an incredible coach in Rambir Singh Khokhar and a strong team. The package is wonderful.”

Patna Pirates Captain Rakesh Kumar added, “I am honored to be chosen as the captain of this talented side. I would like to thank Shah for embracing a sport like Kabaddi which will go a long way in promoting this ancient sport and giving the sport a professional status. I am confident that Patna Pirates will bring laurels to this city and state of Bihar.”

Another player, Sunil Kumar, who was allotted to the Patna team as a state wild card commented, “I’ve been playing Kabaddi all through my youth. It was in school that I took to it as I watched all my friends and brother playing the game. I stuck to the sport, represented Delhi and then eventually earned a call up for the Indian team, which was a huge moment for me, and I never thought it could be topped. But now I hope to build many more new memories with the Patna Pirates and I eagerly look forward to the start of the tournament.”

The Pro Kabaddi league is an initiative of Mashal Sports and intends to bring glory to the Indian game.