India Women Beat Iran to Win Asian Games Kabaddi Gold
India defeated Iran 37-34 in a tense final at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, successfully defending their women's kabaddi crown and securing a record-extending fourth gold medal in the event.
The Indian women's kabaddi team defeated Iran 37-34 to win gold at the 2026 Asian Games on Saturday, extending India's dominance in the sport with another title at Aichi-Nagoya.
The closely contested final was played at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium, where India held off a strong Iranian challenge to successfully defend the Asian Games title they had won at Hangzhou.
GOLD MEDAL SNAPSHOT
India 37-34 Iran — Women's kabaddi final
Gold — India
Silver — Iran
4th title — India's record in women's Asian Games kabaddi
Tokai Citizen Gymnasium — Final venue
India made the stronger start and entered half-time with a 22-16 advantage. Iran, however, mounted a comeback after the interval and reduced India's lead to just one point at 27-26, keeping the gold-medal contest alive deep into the second half.
India responded under pressure, with Sanju Devi producing an important super raid before captain Pushpa Rana helped restore the team's advantage. Iran continued to challenge in the closing stages, but India maintained enough separation to finish with a three-point victory.
The victory completed an unbeaten campaign for India. The team had earlier defeated Bangladesh and Japan in Pool A and also overcame Iran during the group stage before meeting them again in the gold-medal contest.
INDIA'S WOMEN'S KABADDI ASIAN GAMES RECORD
2010 — Gold
2014 — Gold
2018 — Silver
2022 Hangzhou Games — Gold
2026 Aichi-Nagoya — GoldIndia have now won four gold medals from five editions since women's kabaddi entered the Asian Games programme.
Women's kabaddi was introduced to the Asian Games programme in 2010, and India won the first two titles before Iran interrupted their run by defeating them in the 2018 Jakarta final.
India returned to the top of the podium at the Hangzhou Asian Games and the victory in Aichi-Nagoya means the team has now won back-to-back Asian Games gold medals.
The result also continued India's exceptional overall record in Asian Games kabaddi. Before Saturday's finals, Indian men's and women's teams together had won 11 of the 13 kabaddi gold medals awarded since the sport became a full medal event.
The women's victory was also India's third gold medal of the ongoing Asian Games at the time it was secured, following the women's cricket title and gold in the 10m air pistol mixed-team shooting event.
India's medal tally continued to evolve later on Saturday as further events, including the men's kabaddi final, were contested.