Meraj Sheykh
Meraj Sheykh (born 26 May 1988) is an Iranian professional kabaddi player who currently plays for Dabang Delhi. He holds the first position for all-rounders in Pro Kabaddi League’s all-time scoring charts. His signature move – the Scorpion Kick – further accentuates his sharp reflexes and flexibility. The move requires a raider to turn towards the mid-line and then snap his back knee up to pick up a touch on a defender on the way back, similar to the sting of a scorpion.[1]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Cheetah, Magician Meraj |
| Nationality | Iranian |
| Born | 26 May 1988 Sistan, Iran |
| Years active | 2014-present |
| Height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) |
| Weight | 75 kg (165 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Country | Iran |
| Sport | Kabaddi |
| Position | All-Rounder |
| Kabaddi | Pro Kabaddi League |
| Club | Telugu Titans Dabang Delhi |
| Team | Iran National Kabaddi Team |
Early life
He was born in Iran and began playing at a young age. Before playing Kabaddi, Sheykh was a professional wrestler for 10 years and his experience in the ring has helped him be quick and agile on the mat.
Kabaddi career
VIVO Pro Kabaddi
Season 2
He made his debut in Season 2 with Telugu Titans and became the first foreign player to captain a Pro Kabaddi side when he was selected as their skipper for the second half of the campaign. Sheykh scored 29 raid points and 9 tackle points in his first season with the Titans.[1]
Season 3
Season 3 of Pro Kabaddi saw Sheykh score 27 raid points and 21 tackle points before changing allegiances in the following campaign.[1]
Season 4
The fourth edition of Pro Kabaddi witnessed Sheykh move to Dabang Delhi, where he was made captain. The Iranian all-rounder seemed to enjoy the added responsibility and scored 63 raid points as well as 12 tackle points.[1]
Season 5
Season 5 was Sheykh’s most successful in terms of points return. He scored 96 raid points, 8 tackle points and also completed 50 tackle points in league history. His total of 104 points made him the best all-rounder in the fifth edition of Pro Kabaddi.[1]
Season 6
In the sixth season, Sheykh continued to raid with great success and scored 94 raid points. However, the Iranian only managed 3 tackle points from 19 matches.[1]
Iran Kabaddi team
He represented his country in the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup final, where they finished runners-up to India.[2]
References
- Kabaddi, Pro. "Player profile". prokabaddi. prokabaddi. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
- "Kabaddi World Cup: India beat Iran to win third consecutive title". The Times of India. October 22, 2016.