ISLAMABAD: Former hockey Olympian Mohammad Usman has signed an agreement to buy the franchise of Islamabad team for the inaugural edition of Pakistan Kabaddi League to be staged in Lahore in May. Usman is the first buyer of a franchise in the kabaddi league scheduled to begin on May 16. Overall, the rights of six teams are on sale for the league to be held on the pattern of the country’s cricket league titled Pakistan Super League. A formal ceremony to sign the contract between Usman and the sports management of Strawberry, the owner of the league, was held the other day. While underlining that kabaddi was a popular sport in the country, Usman regretted that it had been ignored resulting in heaps of talent getting wasted. “This league will inject a new life into Pakistan kabaddi,” Usman, said while disclosing that he had purchased the rights of Islamabad team for ten years. Usman said though he had represented Pakistan in the world of field hockey, he now wanted to play his role in promoting the country’s traditional sports. Meanwhile, Hyder Ali of Strawberry said many foreign players had also contacted the Pakistan Kabaddi Federation and expressed their willingness to become part of the team.