Historic win: India defeats Iran 40‑34 to retain Asian Games Kabaddi crown

The Indian men’s Kabaddi team created history at the 2026 Asian Games by beating Iran 40‑34 in the Nagoya final and securing their second straight gold.

The opening spell was evenly matched, with both teams at 5‑5. India soon carved out a 10‑8 lead, and a brief sanction on Rahul heightened the contest.

Arjun Deshwal’s rapid scoring runs stretched the gap to 12‑9, yet Iran rallied to finish the first half with a slender 18‑17 advantage.

During the second half, India’s raiders intensified their effort, pulling ahead to 34‑27. Defensive work by Sumeet and a series of crucial tackles from Rahul in the closing minutes extended the lead to 36‑29.

Iran’s desperate attempts to level the score in the final minutes led to errors that India exploited, sealing the 40‑34 win and confirming their dominance in Asian Games Kabaddi.