Demonstrating incredible resilience and tactical brilliance, India’s men’s kabaddi team fought back from a half-time deficit to defeat Iran 40-34 and successfully defend their Asian Games crown at the Aichi-Nagoya Games on Saturday. The hard-fought victory crowned a sensational double for the country on the exact same day, as the Indian women’s squad had earlier beaten Iran 37-34 to claim their own gold medal, ensuring a clean sweep of top podium finishes for India in kabaddi. Marking the momentous occasion, the players celebrated their victory by marching around the venue and singing “Vande Mataram.” The gold-medal showdown began as a tense, tactical battle with neither side willing to give an inch, allowing Iran to capitalize on minor openings and edge ahead 18-17 as the teams went into the break. Emerging from the locker room with renewed energy, India completely flipped the script in the second half through sharp raiding and airtight defending that suffocated Iran’s offensive plays. As the minutes ticked away, the defending champions widened the gap, leaving Iran too far behind to mount a comeback as the scoreboard flashed 39-30 in favor of India with just under two minutes left on the clock. Even a late push by Iranian captain Fazal Atrachali could not stop the relentless Indian unit from sealing the 40-34 triumph. This remarkable win marks India’s ninth men’s kabaddi gold in Asian Games history, firmly cementing their status as the sport’s ultimate powerhouse after a rare stumble at the 2018 Jakarta Games where Iran briefly interrupted their streak, before India bounced back to reclaim gold in Hangzhou and now successfully defend it in Aichi-Nagoya.
Asian Games: Indian Men’s Kabaddi Squad Defends Crown to Secure Another Gold
