India took the gold medal in women’s kabaddi at the Asian Games 2026 after defeating Iran 37-34 in a wild final. India held its nerve in a tight affair in order to win the gold medal and add another gold medal to the country’s campaign at the continental sporting event.
The victory was India’s third gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games and took the country’s total medal count to 27. The result was also another big mark for the Indian women’s kabaddi team, which had not only been dominant at the Asian Games but has always held strong in the last few years as well.
India started the final well in the first half and managed to take control of the game. At half-time, India had a six-point lead over Iran, 22-16, and the defending champions were able to take the lead up to the break. But the struggle was far from over as Iran came back with a fightback from the interval, it turned out.
The Iranian team gradually reduced India’s advantage after the break and brought the score down to 27-26. The narrow margin placed a lot of pressure on the Indian side, and the final was in danger. Iran also got an all-out on India, and so the momentum changed, putting the defending champions under pressure.
With the match being so competitive, India called a timeout to regroup. The break allowed the team to settle down and reassess its approach during a critical stage of the final. India returned to the mat with a new sense of urgency and began to regain control of the match.
The final five minutes were ultimately decisive. India was able to handle the pressure well and got the points necessary to create some breathing room. Despite Iran continuing to threaten the Indian defence and attack, the Indian team remained composed in the last five minutes and won 37-34.
The gold medal is especially significant for India’s women’s kabaddi team since it is the fourth time the country has won the event at the Asian Games. India has won the women’s kabaddi gold in every edition of the event except the 2018 Jakarta Games, in which the team finished with the silver medal.
The latest victory also extends India’s record of winning a medal each time women’s kabaddi has been included in the Asian Games programme. The team’s ability to recover after Iran’s second-half comeback made the final another memorable chapter in India’s kabaddi history.
The victory also had an impact on India’s overall medal tally at the 2026 Asian Games. By the time of the women’s kabaddi final, India had already won two gold medals. The women’s cricket team won gold, and Kamaljeet and Suruchi Singh won the mixed 10m air pistol gold medal in shooting.
With the kabaddi victory, India got three gold medals among 27 medals. At the time of the result, India was 12th on the overall medal table.
The women’s kabaddi final between India and Iran also showed India’s ability to contain pressure in a close match. At half-time, India had a six-point lead, but a strong Iranian comeback had to be sustained by the team to lead in the last few minutes.
The 37-34 final score was reflective of a competitive atmosphere between the teams. Iran’s fightback meant India couldn’t coast to victory after an early lead, and India’s late response took the fight to the final.
For Indian sport, the kabaddi gold is a big achievement for the country’s Asian Games campaign. The women’s team has again reached the top of the podium, and its success also added to India’s growing medal count at the 2026 edition.
India will now look to carry on the momentum of the kabaddi victory as more events are played out across the Asian Games. For the women’s kabaddi team, however, it is more about celebrating another Asian Games gold after overcoming Iran in one of the tournament’s most closely fought finals.
