After India won the Gold Medal during the Japan Asian Games in the women’s Kabaddi event, the men’s team also delivered a Gold medal. Once again, the opponent in the final was Iran. This is India’s 4th Gold medal at the ongoing Asian Games.
Iran came up with a great fight, but the Indian team, led by Sunil Kumar, emerged victorious 39-34 in yet another tight final.
India entered the tournament as defending champions after winning gold at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. The team had remained unbeaten throughout its campaign in Japan, building momentum with commanding victories in the group stage before producing another strong performance in the knockout rounds.
India opened its campaign with a 49-24 victory over hosts Japan before overwhelming South Korea 63-31. Bangladesh were then defeated 48-25, as India’s raiders and defenders consistently kept opponents under pressure.
The semi-final against Thailand was another emphatic display. India stormed into the final with a 66-28 victory, with Devank Dalal and Arjun Deshwal playing important roles in the attacking department. The defensive unit also maintained India’s control as the team secured its place in the gold-medal clash.
The gold medal is particularly significant given India’s historic record in Asian Games kabaddi. India had already won eight men’s kabaddi gold medals, including the titles in 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2022. Now this is India’s 9th Gold medal in the event at the Asian Games.
With another gold now secured, India’s men have once again demonstrated why Kabaddi remains synonymous with Indian sporting success at the Asian Games. From powerful raids to uncompromising tackles, the team delivered when the stakes were highest.
