India Win Record-Extending 9th Asian Games Gold In Men’s Kabaddi, Defeat Iran 40-34 In Final

Last Updated:September 26, 2026, 3:45 PM IST

Since the inclusion of men’s kabaddi in the Asian Games in 1990, India have won the gold medal in all editions except the 2018 one.

India win record-extending 9th Asian Games gold in men’s kabaddi. (Picture Credit: AP)

Pawan Sehrawat-led India men’s kabaddi team defeated 2018 champions Iran in the final on Saturday (September 26) to win the gold medal in the men’s kabaddi competition at the Asian Games for a record-extending ninth time.

In the gold medal match of the ongoing 2026 edition of the Asian Games, India secured a hard-fought 40-34 win over Iran.

Since the inclusion of men’s kabaddi in the Asian Games in 1990, India have won the gold medal in all editions except the 2018 one. In 2018, India failed to finish on the podium and had to settle for a fourth-place finish.

In the men’s kabaddi competition at the Asian Games 2026, India opened their campaign with a 49-24 win over Japan in their Group A match on September 21. In their second group match, India crushed South Korea 63-31 and followed it up with a 48-25 win over Bangladesh and a 37-21 win against Chinese Taipei.

In the semifinal, India hammered Thailand 66-28 on Friday to book their place in the final against Iran, which had crushed Chinese Taipei 59-21 in the second semifinal.

Before the men’s team bagged the gold, India’s women’s team also refused to surrender their Asian Games kabaddi crown and secured a 37-34 win over Iran in the gold medal match.

In the title decider, India exposed Iran’s weak flank before holding their nerve in a tense finish to clinch a record-extending fourth gold.

The win extended India’s dominance in women’s kabaddi, with the team now having won gold at all five editions since the sport made its Asian Games debut at Guangzhou 2010, except in 2018, when Iran ended their run in the Jakarta final.

Iran have emerged as India’s toughest rivals in a sport that is increasingly looking towards an Olympic future, but on Saturday, their relative inexperience proved costly.

India had already beaten Iran in the group stage and, in that encounter, had identified a weakness they would return to when the stakes were much higher — the left flank.

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Which team did India defeat to win the men’s kabaddi gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games?

The Pawan Sehrawat-led Indian men’s kabaddi team defeated 2018 champions Iran 40-34 in the final to secure the gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games.

How many times has the Indian men’s kabaddi team won gold at the Asian Games?

India has won the men’s kabaddi gold medal at the Asian Games for a record-extending ninth time, having won every edition since the sport’s inclusion in 1990 except in 2018.

How did the Indian women’s kabaddi team perform against Iran in the 2026 Asian Games final?

The Indian women’s kabaddi team secured a thrilling 37-34 victory over Iran in the final, successfully capturing a record-extending fourth gold medal.

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Harshit BishtSenior Sub-editor

Harshit Bisht is a sports journalist at CNN-News18, where he has been covering cricket, football, and major sporting events from around the world since July 1, 2024. Driven by a passion for storytelli…Read More

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