The Indian women’s kabaddi team achieved a decisive victory against Iran, winning 37-23 in their group-stage match at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026. The game took place on September 23, where India initially struggled, trailing Iran 9-11 in the first half. However, the team made a significant comeback, turning the tide to lead 19-15 at halftime.

Key players contributed to the victory, with Bhavna Devi making crucial tackles that shaped the team’s defence and Pooja providing important points. This performance was pivotal in regaining control of the match. The second half saw India extend their lead, ensuring a comfortable win.

This victory marks India’s second consecutive win in the women’s kabaddi tournament, following their earlier triumph over Bangladesh with a score of 42-21. The team now looks ahead to face Japan in their next match.

Additional Sports Achievements

On the same day, India secured a bronze medal in shooting and is assured another medal in soft tennis, reflecting strong performances across various sports disciplines at the Asian Games. The Indian women’s skeet shooting team, comprising Raiza Dhillon, Parinaaz Dhaliwal, and Maheshwari Chauhan, finished third in the team event with a score of 331, earning them the bronze medal. China claimed gold with 346 points, while Kazakhstan took home silver.

In the realm of soft tennis, athlete Jay Meena created history by securing India’s first-ever Asian Games medal in the sport. Meena defeated Sherwin Nuguit from the Philippines in the men’s singles quarter-final, winning 4-3 and thus advancing to the semi-finals, with all semi-finalists guaranteed a medal.

In the women’s 10m air pistol individual final, Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker finished in fifth place after advancing to the medal round. However, fellow competitors Suruchi Inder Singh and Esha Singh did not qualify for the final.

Progress in Rowing and Canoe Sprint Events

India also made significant progress in rowing events, with Balraj Panwar qualifying for the men’s single sculls final after securing third place in his heat. In men’s double sculls, Satnam Singh and Salman Khan advanced by finishing second in their heat. The men’s kayak four 500m team, comprising Harshwardhan Shaktawat, Varinder Singh, L Naocha Singh Oinam, and Arun Singh, qualified for their canoe sprint final by finishing third in Heat 1.

In the women’s canoe single 200m event, Megha Pradeep progressed to the semi-final, while the duo of Parvathy Geetha and Phairembam Soniya Devi qualified for the women’s kayak double 500m semi-final. The women’s four team consisting of Gurbani Kaur, Aleena Anto, Tendenthoi Haobijam, and Poonam finished sixth overall in their heats, ensuring qualification for Final A.

In men’s pair heats, Jaswinder Singh and Nitin Kumar finished fourth and will compete in Final B. These performances reflect India’s expanding capabilities in water sports at the Asian Games.

Outcomes in Swimming and Table Tennis

In swimming, Benedicton Beniston achieved a commendable 13th place overall in the men’s 100m butterfly heats, while Sajan Prakash did not participate in the event. Vedaant Madhavan and Aneesh Sunil faced challenges, finishing 19th and 17th, respectively, in the men’s 200m freestyle heats.

In table tennis, Indian players also delivered strong performances in mixed doubles. Harmeet Desai and Yashaswini Ghorpade secured a victory over Maldives’ Mohamed Ismail and Fathimath Ali, while Manush Shah and Diya Chitale triumphed against Sri Lanka’s Chanul Kulappuwawadu and Bimandee Swarna. These wins contribute to India’s growing presence in the sport.

Additionally, in sepaktakraw, India narrowly defeated the Philippines 2-1 in the men’s team regu Group B match but unfortunately did not qualify for the subsequent stage.

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