India’s strong run in Kabaddi at the Asian Games 2026 continued on Friday as both the men’s and women’s teams secured places in their respective finals. The men’s team defeated Thailand 66-28, while the women’s side comfortably overcame Nepal 48-24.
The two victories have kept India’s hopes of defending both Kabaddi gold medals alive at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. Both teams will now prepare for their gold-medal matches on Saturday, with their opponents to be decided by the other semi-finals.
India Men’s Kabaddi Team Crush Thailand 66-28
The Indian men’s team entered the semi-final with significant confidence after finishing at the top of their group. They had won every group-stage match and carried that momentum into their meeting with Thailand.
Thailand, appearing in the Asian Games semi-finals for the first time according to the supplied report, struggled to handle India’s experienced lineup. India quickly established control and forced the first all-out of the contest early in the match.
That early advantage allowed India to dictate the tempo. Thailand produced occasional moments of resistance, but the Indian defense and raiding unit continued to extend the lead.
India went into halftime with a commanding 37-18 advantage. Instead of allowing Thailand to reduce the deficit after the break, the Indian team continued to apply pressure and eventually completed a 66-28 victory.
Devank Dalal Leads India’s Raiding Attack
Devank Dalal was among the key performers for India during the dominant semi-final victory. His contributions in the raiding department helped India maintain pressure on Thailand’s defense.
India’s success was not dependent on one player, however. The team’s strength came from its ability to combine effective raids with disciplined defensive work.
Captain Sunil Kumar also played an important leadership role as India maintained control throughout the match. The experienced side showed why its consistent group-stage campaign had placed it among the leading contenders for the gold medal.
Indian Defense Keeps Thailand Under Pressure
Jaideep Dahiya and Rahul Sethpal were among the Indian defenders who stood out during the match. Their defensive contributions restricted Thailand’s ability to build sustained momentum.
Thailand’s Theeradet Chaisit provided some resistance, successfully completing raids that created problems for India at different stages of the match. However, those moments were not enough to change the overall direction of the contest.
India’s defense repeatedly regained control, allowing the raiders to attack with greater freedom and helping the team maintain its large advantage.
| Men’s Semi-Final | Score |
|---|---|
| India | 66 |
| Thailand | 28 |
| India’s Half-Time Score | 37 |
| Thailand’s Half-Time Score | 18 |
India Women’s Team Defeat Nepal 48-24
The Indian women’s Kabaddi team also produced a convincing semi-final performance, defeating neighboring Nepal 48-24 to book its place in the gold-medal match.
India entered the competition with an impressive history in Asian Games Kabaddi. According to the supplied report, the women’s team had won gold in three of the four previous editions in which the sport was contested.
The current campaign has followed a similar pattern. India remained unbeaten before the semi-final and continued that record against Nepal.
The Indian defense maintained a disciplined structure while the raiding unit consistently collected points. Pooja, Sanju Devi and Sonali Shingate were among the raiders who contributed to India’s control of the match.
India Takes Control Before Half-Time
India gradually built an advantage during the opening half before producing the first all-out of the match towards the end of the period.
That sequence moved the score to 21-11 in India’s favor and gave the team a strong platform heading into the second half.
Nepal did not completely disappear from the contest. Ganga Ghimire produced a super raid that briefly reduced India’s advantage and gave Nepal hope of mounting a comeback.
India responded by tightening its defensive structure and preventing Nepal from sustaining that momentum.
Indian Defense Shuts Down Nepal’s Comeback Attempt
The second half proved decisive. India’s defenders consistently denied Nepal’s raiders the opportunities they needed to close the gap.
With Nepal struggling to find regular points, India’s lead continued to grow. The Indian team eventually inflicted a second all-out, creating an advantage that Nepal could not overcome.
India closed the match with a 48-24 victory, completing another unbeaten performance and securing its place in the Asian Games final.
| Women’s Semi-Final | Score |
|---|---|
| India | 48 |
| Nepal | 24 |
| India’s Score After First All-Out | 21 |
| Nepal’s Score After First All-Out | 11 |
India’s Unbeaten Run Continues
The women’s team’s latest victory maintains its unbeaten record in the competition. Consistency has been one of India’s biggest strengths, with the team successfully navigating its matches without suffering a defeat.
The men’s team has also demonstrated impressive consistency. After winning all its group-stage matches, the side followed that campaign with another commanding victory in the semi-final.
Both teams will now enter the finals with confidence, although the gold-medal matches will present a different challenge because the opposition will also arrive after winning a semi-final.
Who Will India Face in the Finals?
India’s final opponents are yet to be confirmed. The men’s team will face the winner of the second semi-final between Chinese Taipei and Iran.
The women’s team will also face either Iran or Chinese Taipei, depending on the result of the other women’s semi-final.
This means India will have to wait for the remaining semi-finals to discover its final opponent. Regardless of which team advances, the gold-medal matches will provide a significant test after India’s dominant semi-final performances.
| Indian Team | Semi-Final Opponent | Semi-Final Result | Possible Final Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men | Thailand | India won 66-28 | Chinese Taipei or Iran |
| Women | Nepal | India won 48-24 | Iran or Chinese Taipei |
India’s Gold Medal Defense Remains on Track
The biggest significance of these victories is that India remains in contention to defend its Kabaddi gold medals in both competitions.
The men’s team has entered the final after a convincing group-stage campaign and a large semi-final victory. The women’s side has followed its own unbeaten route to the title match.
However, reaching the final does not guarantee another gold medal. Both teams must win one more match to complete their campaigns with the top prize.
What Makes India’s Kabaddi Campaign Stand Out?
One of the most noticeable aspects of India’s campaign has been the balance between raiding and defense. The men’s team received important contributions from Devank Dalal in attack and Jaideep Dahiya and Rahul Sethpal in defense.
The women’s team similarly combined productive raids from Pooja, Sanju Devi and Sonali Shingate with a disciplined defensive unit.
That balance is particularly important in knockout matches. A team can recover from a poor raid sequence if its defense remains strong, while successful raids become even more valuable when defenders are consistently winning tackles.
Why the Finals Will Be Different
India’s large semi-final victories may create confidence, but the final will be a new contest. The opponent will have also survived a knockout match and will enter with the same objective of winning gold.
India will therefore need to maintain its defensive discipline and avoid allowing short periods of opposition momentum to develop into major scoring runs.
The semi-finals demonstrated that both Indian teams can build substantial leads. The finals will test whether they can maintain that control against potentially stronger opposition.
Key Players to Watch for India
For the men’s team, Devank Dalal’s raiding ability and the defensive contributions of Jaideep Dahiya and Rahul Sethpal will remain important areas to watch.
Captain Sunil Kumar’s leadership will also be significant as India enters the most important match of its campaign.
For the women’s team, Pooja, Sanju Devi and Sonali Shingate have already made important contributions in attack. The defensive unit will also be crucial after successfully limiting Nepal’s comeback attempts.
India’s Road to the Kabaddi Finals
- Men’s team: Finished top of the group after winning all group-stage fixtures.
- Men’s semi-final: Defeated Thailand 66-28.
- Women’s team: Continued its unbeaten campaign.
- Women’s semi-final: Defeated Nepal 48-24.
- Men’s final opponent: Winner of Chinese Taipei vs Iran.
- Women’s final opponent: Winner of Iran vs Chinese Taipei.
What Comes Next for India?
Both Indian Kabaddi teams now have one final hurdle between themselves and Asian Games gold. The men’s and women’s finals are scheduled for Saturday, when India will discover whether it can successfully defend both titles.
The teams will likely focus on recovery, tactical preparation and studying their respective opponents. The knockout victories have provided momentum, but the final will demand another complete performance.
For Indian Kabaddi fans, the possibility of two gold medals makes the final day particularly significant. Both teams have already reached the title matches, but the ultimate objective remains to finish the tournament at the top of the podium.
Final Takeaway
India’s Kabaddi campaign at the Asian Games 2026 has reached a crucial stage, with both the men’s and women’s teams advancing to their respective finals.
The men’s side produced a commanding 66-28 victory over Thailand after entering the knockout stage as group leaders. The women’s team was equally impressive, defeating Nepal 48-24 while maintaining its unbeaten record.
India will now face either Chinese Taipei or Iran in the gold-medal matches, depending on the remaining semi-final results. With both teams one victory away from gold, India’s bid to defend its men’s and women’s Kabaddi titles remains firmly alive.
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