All eyes on PKL 2018: Will kabaddi give cricket a run for its money?

In many states kabaddi beats cricket in viewership, according to data from Broadcast Audience Research Council

Deepak Narhwal, 23, was playing in local kabaddi tournaments in Haryana for years. He earned Rs100,000 to Rs150,000 annually. In 2015, Narhwal started playing in the Pro-Kabaddi League or PKL. From Rs 0.2 million in season 2, his earnings have reached Rs2.5 million in season 6, which begins next week. 

Narhwal, a raider for three-times defending champions Patna Pirates, illustrates the first of the two big changes that PKL has wrought on the sporting landscape in India. For the first time there seems to be a robust ecosystem supporting a game other than cricket. And for the first time cricket