Asian Games 2026: India bag second straight Kabaddi gold after defeating Iran

India asserted its supreme dominance in kabaddi at the Asian Games on Saturday, sweeping both the men's and women's events in two thrilling, hard-fought finals against Iran.

The Indian men's team clinched their gold medal with a 40-34 triumph over Iran in a tightly contested final. Their victory capped off a stellar day for Indian kabaddi, coming shortly after the women’s team set the stage by edging out Iran 37-34 in their own final.

The men’s championship match proved to be a nerve-wracking duel. With the scores deadlocked at 20-20 at one point, the Indian squad dug deep to pull ahead, secure the advantage, and claim top honors.


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This victory marked India’s overall ninth gold medal in kabaddi at the Asian Games and signaled a complete return to the pinnacle of the sport. Prior to 2018, the Indian men had captured seven consecutive gold medals before Iran famously interrupted their streak at the Jakarta Games, where Iran won the gold and India ended up in fourth place. India successfully reclaimed their crown at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.

Earlier in the day, the Indian women’s team appeared to be in firm control, building a 22-16 advantage by half-time. Iran launched a fierce comeback in the second half, outscoring India 18-15, but the early lead proved to be enough for the Indian women to hold on for a nail-biting win.

Except for the 2018 Jakarta Games, where they took home the silver medal after a loss to Iran, the Indian women's team has won the Asian Games gold in every single edition of the tournament.