New Delhi [India], September 20 (ANI): India's men's and women's kabaddi teams begin their campaign at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on September 21 as reigning champions and will seek to defend their titles won at Hangzhou 2022.
The competition will be held at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium from September 21 to 26, with ten men's teams and eight women's teams in the fray across a round-robin group stage, semi-finals and gold medal matches, according to a release.
The groups
India's men are in Group A alongside hosts Japan, Republic of Korea, Chinese Taipei and Bangladesh. Group B features Iran, Nepal, Thailand, Pakistan and Malaysia, keeping India and Iran, the sport's two biggest powers, apart through the group phase.
India's women are in Group A with Iran, Japan and Bangladesh, while Group B comprises Chinese Taipei, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal. Unlike the men, India's women face Iran in the group stage itself.
Teams to Watch
Iran stand out as the sport's other genuine power; they are the only nation besides India to have won Asian Games kabaddi gold in both the men's and women's events. It was Iran who ended India men's run of seven straight golds at Jakarta 2018, and Iran again who denied the Indian women at the same Games, winning the final 27-24.
India avenged both defeats at Hangzhou, beating Iran for men's gold while the women held off Chinese Taipei 26-25 in a final that went down to the wire. Chinese Taipei's push to that final has established them as a standard-bearer of the women's game outside India and Iran, while Bangladesh and Republic of Korea, both multiple Asian Games medallists, round out a testing group for the Indian men. Hosts Japan will also draw on home support in front of a crowd new to top-level kabaddi.
India’s men’s head coach Balwan Singh has 14 international gold medals as a coach, and that tally includes all three of India's men's Kabaddi World Cup titles, won in 2004, 2007 and 2016. He will be working alongside Assistant coach BC Ramesh, who has won the Pro Kabaddi League twice with Bengal Warriorz (Season 7) and then Puneri Paltan (Season 10).
On the team's approach to opponents, Singh was clear that no side would be taken lightly. “We don't consider any opponent to be weak. If we make a mistake somewhere, the opponent becomes heavier, so the focus has to be on making the fewest possible errors over the full 40 minutes,” he said, adding that the dressing room's instruction to the players is to respect every rival regardless of the scoreline.
India's women, coached by Neeta Dadwe and Mamtha Poojari, are chasing a fourth gold in five Asian Games appearances, having medalled at every edition they have entered — gold in 2010, 2014 and 2022, silver in 2018. Pushpa Rana has been named the captain, with Sonali Shingate set to play a key role. They are joined by Sanju Devi, MVP (most valuable player) of the 2025 Women's Kabaddi World Cup.
“Iran and Chinese Taipei are the teams we're watching most closely,” Assistant coach Mamtha Poojari said, noting Iran's high-tempo style through all 40 minutes of a match. With Iran waiting in the group stage on September 23 and Chinese Taipei a likely semi-final or final opponent, India's women face a tighter road to gold than their male counterparts, who meet Iran only if both teams reach the summit clash.
Fixtures and Schedule (IST)
Sep 21: Men vs Japan (9:45 AM), Women vs Bangladesh (4:15 PM)
Sep 22: Men vs South Korea (7:15 AM)
Sep 23: Women vs Iran (8:30 AM), Men vs Bangladesh (9:45 AM)
Sep 24: Men vs Chinese Taipei (9:45 AM), Women vs Japan (4:15 PM)
Sep 25: Women's SF1 (9:30 AM), Men's SF1 (10:45 AM), Women's SF2 (2:30 PM), Men's SF2 (3:45 PM)
Sep 26: Women's Final (9:30 AM), Men's Final (2:30 PM). (ANI)
India's Kabaddi teams chase double gold as Asian Games campaign begins in Aichi-Nagoya
