India's women's kabaddi team won the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026, beating Iran 37-34 in a closely fought final. The result marks India's fourth Asian Games gold in women's kabaddi and the country's third gold medal overall at these Games.
The final was played on Saturday at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium and produced a tightly contested match. India dominated the first half, but Iran staged a strong fightback in the second. India's six-point lead from the first half proved decisive, and the team went on to reclaim the title.
Final Five Minutes Prove Decisive
With five minutes left on the clock, the scores were level between the two sides, leaving the contest wide open. From there, India's experienced players lifted their performance to edge past Iran.
India built a 22-16 lead in the first half. In the second half, India added only 15 points while Iran mounted a strong comeback with 18 points. However, Iran's fightback fell short, with their total finishing at 34 against India's 37, enough to secure the gold medal by a three-point margin.
Points Breakdown
India earned 8 bonus points during the match, compared to 6 for Iran. Both teams were awarded 2 points each for all-outs. Iran picked up 2 technical points. India led in super tackles, converting 3 points from that category, while Iran managed only a single super tackle. India also gained 2 points via a green card.
Kabaddi has been part of the Asian Games since 2010, a period in which India has largely dominated the women's competition. India won gold in 2010 and 2014, before Iran ended that run by beating India in the 2018 final. India reclaimed the title in 2022, and has now beaten Iran in a final for the second time. This was the third final meeting between the two teams at the Asian Games, with India now leading the head-to-head 2-1.