DIVYA DELHI : India successfully defended its men’s kabaddi title at the 2026 Asian Games, defeating Iran 40-34 in a thrilling gold-medal final on Saturday. The victory secured India’s second consecutive Asian Games gold in the men’s event, following their triumph at the Hangzhou Games. The Indian team showed composure in a closely fought contest against a strong Iranian side. Iran kept the pressure on through the match, but India’s raiders and defenders combined effectively to maintain their advantage and eventually seal the six-point victory. India had entered the final after an impressive campaign. The team remained unbeaten in the group stage before producing a commanding 66-28 victory over Thailand in the semi-final. The gold medal is particularly significant given India’s long-standing dominance in Asian Games kabaddi. Iran had ended India’s men’s winning streak at the 2018 Jakarta Games, but India reclaimed the title at Hangzhou in 2022 and has now successfully retained it in Aichi-Nagoya. The victory adds another major medal to India’s campaign at the 2026 Asian Games and completes a memorable day for Indian kabaddi.
