At the 2026 Asian Games, the Indian women's kabaddi team demonstrated outstanding play and won the gold medal. In the final match, held on Saturday, September 26, India defeated Iran with a score of 37:34.
This is the fourth victory for the Indian women's team at the Asian Games. Previously, the team achieved this success at the Asian Games in Guangzhou in 2010, Incheon in 2014, and Hangzhou in 2022. The only exception was the 2018 Asian Championship, where the team had to settle for a silver medal.
The final between India and Iran was extremely tense and marked by fierce competition between both teams. There were moments when it seemed Iran could prevail over the Indian team, but the Indian players maintained their composure under pressure and managed to secure victory at crucial moments.
During this match, some referee decisions raised questions as they were not in India's favor. In one instance, an Iranian defender crossed the midline during a tackle. According to the rules, India should have received one point, but the referee only declared the Indian player out, even though points should have been awarded to both teams. Furthermore, Iranian players made some rough tackles, but they were not shown cards.
The score in the India versus Iran confrontation remained close throughout the match. As the game approached the final minutes, the pressure mounted on both sides. It was during this period that Iranian players made several critical errors, which the Indian team capitalized on. In the closing moments of the match, numerous mistakes were observed from Iran, including an instance where two of their raiders entered the field simultaneously, which caused damage to the team.
The main reason for India's victory was the players' ability to remain calm under high pressure. In such a tense match, the Indian team did not lose concentration until the very end and secured the win through important points. After the triumph in the final, the Indian athletes enthusiastically circled the arena, chanting the battle cry 'Vande Mataram' and celebrating their historic victory.
This victory holds special significance for women's kabaddi in India. Excluding the Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018, India has won the gold medal in every subsequent tournament. In Jakarta, India received silver after losing to Iran.
The Indian women's team roster included: Pushpa Rana (captain), Ritu Negi, Sonali Singhate, Sanju Devi, Pooja Kajla, Ritu Sheran, Jyoti Thakur, Pinky Roy, Manisha Kumari, Bhavana Thakur, Rajrani, and Nikita Kumari.
