Asian Games 2023: India’s kabaddi teams all set to reclaim gold

Pawan Sehrawat

Four years ago in Jakarta, the otherwise most sought-after Indian men's kabaddi team were an embarrassed lot after they failed to secure the gold medal for the first time since the sport was introduced at the Asian Games in 1990.

They lost in the semi-finals to Iran, thereby ending a golden run that saw them bag seven titles between 1990 and 2018. The India women's team also lost their gold medal at Jakarta (women's kabaddi was introduced at the Asiad at Guangzhou 2010 where the Indian women won gold and then defended their title at Incheon 2014).

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Now, both the men and women kabaddi stars have a double golden opportunity to win back their lost pride with both teams having stormed into the gold medal match. On Friday, the Indian men hammered Pakistan 61-14 while the women beat Nepal 61-17 to set up final battles with Iran and Chinese Taipei respectively at the Xiaoshan Guali Cultural and Sports Centre.

Men's captain Pawan Sehrawat said: "I feel good and we are happy to go into this final. We have been preparing for this for the last five months. Our performance against Pakistan was a statement to Iran. We will play the same way in the final. We will ensure that we win the gold medal."

Men's team coach Bhaskaran Edicherry added: "We were always confident about this victory, but we didn't expect such a one-sided match. We have played some exceptional kabaddi and have an important final coming up against defending champions Iran. Our boys are up for the challenge.

India women's coach Tejaswini Bai sounded equally confident. "I'm so very proud of this [final entry]. We are confident of winning the gold but it will take hard work," she said.