Final preparations for the tournament underway at the Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna on Monday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Feb. 27: The 1st Women World Cup Kabaddi is set to start from March 1 in the state capital. But not a single player from Bihar made it to the team when the 12 names were announced today.

Sources in the Bihar State Kabaddi Federation said although two players from the Bihar women’s kabaddi team were selected for the trial camp, both were dropped for fitness and personal reasons.

Bihar State Kabaddi Federation secretary Kumar Vijay Singh said: “Two players from the Bihar team — Minu and Smita Kumari — were selected for the Indian kabaddi team’s trial camp. The doctors advised Minu to take three-months rest and Smita Kumari, who was part of the winning Indian women’s kabaddi team that participated in Asian Games 2010 opted out because of personal reasons.”

Sixteen teams — the USA, Mexico, Italy, Canada, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Iran, Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, Turkmenistan and India — will take part in the tournament. The state education department is organising it as part of Bihar’s centenary celebrations. It will end on March 4.

Mamtha Poojari of Indian Railways is leading the team that includes players from Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Odisha and Delhi.

On reasons why no player from Bihar made it to the Indian women’s kabaddi team, education minister P.K. Shahi said: “We have no say in selecting the players for the Indian team, as they are picked by Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India. It comprises selectors who are Dronacharya and Arjuna awardees and representatives from the government of India.”

Shahi is the patron of the 1st Women World Cup Kabaddi. The International Kabaddi Federation and Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India are supporting the event.

As not a single player from the Bihar team has been named in the Indian side, they have been made members of the tournament’s organising committee. Preparations for the four-day tournament are in the final stages.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar will inaugurate the tournament at the Patliputra Sports Complex, earlier known as the Kankerbagh Sports Complex. Principal secretary of the education department Anjani Kumar Singh said: “The inaugural match will be played in the outdoor stadium, which has a seating capacity of 25,000 people. The other matches will be played indoors and the stadium can seat 2,500 persons.”

For security, all the teams will be provided women police officers. Six closed-circuit television cameras and a big screen will also be installed on the stadium premises. The matches, entry for which would be free, will be telecast live.