Asian Games 2026: India wins gold in women’s kabaddi after beating Iran
India’s Pooja in action against Iran during the women’s kabaddi final at the Asian Games 2026 final. | Photo Credit: Screenshot via SonyLIV
India’s Pooja in action against Iran during the women’s kabaddi final at the Asian Games 2026 final. | Photo Credit: Screenshot via SonyLIV
India won gold in the women’s kabaddi event at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, after beating arch-rival Iran 37-34 on Saturday.
This is India’s fourth gold medal, and second consecutive, since the 2010 edition when women’s kabaddi was introduced at the Games. The only time it has failed to clinch the yellow metal was in 2018, when Iran had triumphed in the final.
While the Pushpa Rana-led side had entered the summit clash in this iteration as the firm favourite on paper, Iran made sure to show that kabaddi is played on the mat after the summit clash began.
For India, the likes of Sanju Devi, Nikita, and Pooja were contributing with the raid points, but Iran was defensively solid. The 2018 champion also bagged a Super Tackle in the first half, but it was India which was slightly ahead with a 22-16 lead.
In the second half, much of Iran’s attacking points came through Saniya Naeimi’s raids but her side’s failure to inflict All Outs on India costed Iran. Throughout the second 20-minute period, India maintained a five-point lead. However with just over eight minutes to go, Atena Madadi helped Iran inflict its first All Out on the Indian team to reduce to gap to a single point.
But it a collective effort from India’s raiding and defending departments saw India get over the line and clinch the top step of the podium.
This is India’s third gold medal of the ongoing Games after the women’s cricket triumph and 10m air pistol mixed team of Kamaljeet and Suruchi Singh winning the event. A fourth can be added later in the day when the men’s kabaddi team faces Iran in their summit clash.
Published on Sep 26, 2026
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