The Indian men's kabaddi team secured its ninth Asian Games gold medal after defeating the Islamic Republic of Iran 40-34 in the final at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium in Aichi on Friday.
India have now won nine of the 10 men's kabaddi titles contested at the Asian Games. The only time India failed to win gold came at the Jakarta 2018 Games, when Iran finished as champions.
India and Iran Battle in a Tight First Half
The final began at a high pace, with both teams putting pressure on each other through strong tackles and raids. Iran reduced India to just two players and led 9-7. Jaideep Dahiya then produced a crucial super tackle on Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh. The move helped India stop Iran from extending its advantage.
India stayed slightly ahead for much of the next phase but struggled to get more than three players back on the mat at the same time. Iran eventually secured the first all-out of the match. Amirmohammad Zafar Danesh delivered a two-point raid to put Iran in a strong position.
The match remained closely contested despite the all-out. Arjun Deshwal then produced an important raid, while India also managed a daring dash on Shadloui Chiyaneh. Those efforts helped India move 16-14 ahead. Iran responded with a three-man super tackle and regained the advantage before the break. Iran went into half-time leading 18-17. Zafar Danesh stood out during the opening half with important contributions in both attack and defence.
India Turn the Match Around
Iran started the second half strongly and pushed India down to three players once again. India, however, responded immediately. A successful super tackle and a raid by Aslam Inamdar helped India regain momentum. That period became a turning point in the final. India applied greater pressure and reduced Iran to only two players.
Iran captain Fazel Atrachali and Omid Khojastehmohammadshah briefly helped their side recover. They stopped Arjun Deshwal with a super tackle. India's defence then responded as a unit. The team secured its first all-out of the match and opened a five-point lead at 29-24. Sumit played a major role during this period. His powerful tackles helped India change the direction of the contest.
India Hold Firm to Win Gold
Iran continued to fight through Shadloui, who kept collecting touch points and prevented India from running away with the match. India's raiders, however, maintained their advantage. The lead gradually increased as the final entered its closing stages.
With only two minutes remaining, India held a seven-point advantage. The team controlled the remaining time and prevented Iran from making another comeback. India eventually completed a 40-34 victory and reclaimed the Asian Games men's kabaddi crown.
How the Kabaddi Tournament Was Structured
The men's kabaddi competition at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games featured 10 teams. They were divided into two groups of five. India were placed in Group A alongside Bangladesh, the Republic of Korea, Chinese Taipei and Japan.
Group B consisted of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Nepal, Thailand, Pakistan and Malaysia. The top two teams from each group advanced to the semi-finals after the round-robin stage.
Thailand and Chinese Taipei secured bronze medals after losing their respective semi-finals. India's victory over Iran in the final completed another successful Asian Games campaign and gave the country its ninth men's kabaddi gold medal.