Gold double: India’s men and women rule Asiad kabaddi
India’s supremacy in the Asian Games Kabaddi competition remained intact as both the men’s and women’s teams outwitted familiar foes, Iran, in their respective summit clashes to defend their gold medals here on Saturday.
The men’s team prevailed 40-34, while the women clinched a 37-34 win to extend their dominance at the event. This was the ninth gold for the men and fourth for the women. The men’s win came without their most experienced player, Pawan Sehrawat, even stepping on the mat. With the defending champions struggling for control midway through the contest, it was the composure of raiders Arjun Deswal and Devank in the decisive phase that tilted a gripping final in India’s favour.
Iran fought for every point as if it were the last, matching-and even exceeding-India’s physicality, refusing to let the defending champions settle into a rhythm. At half-time, Iran held a slender 18-17 lead, and India had every reason to be concerned. The Iranian side’s relentless approach had put the Indians under pressure. But India did not panic. Instead, they changed the tempo of the game, trusted their raiders, and let experience take over. Arjun and Devank repeatedly ventured deep into the Iranian half, picked their moments and returned with crucial points, gradually forcing Iran onto the back foot.
The tactical adjustment wasn’t limited to the raiders. Aslam Mustafa, who had struggled early after venturing too deep and being pinned, was moved into defence, where he found a more effective role.
“After Iran were leading 17-18 at half-time, we strategised that only those raiders who were pulling out the opponents would be sent, and here Arjun Deswal and Devank were spot on. Their raids completely turned the match on its head,” Sehrawat said after the final.
India also tightened its defensive lines, making it increasingly difficult for the Iranian raiders to find easy points.
The turning point came when India inflicted an all-out to stretch the advantage to 29-24. With the gold coming into sight, the Indians showed another side of their experience. Rather than chase points recklessly, they slowed the contest down.
The raiders hovered around the midline, waited for openings and repeatedly returned to safety without overcommitting. It was calculated kabaddi-forcing Iran to take the risks instead.
And Iran had little choice. Needing points, the Iranian raiders began probing deeper into India’s half, only to run into a defence that had grown increasingly assured. Each failed raid added to the pressure, while India’s lead gave its players the freedom to wait for mistakes rather than manufacture opportunities.
Women clinch it in tense finish
The women also held their nerve in a slightly more tense finish to clinch a record-extending fourth gold.
India had already beaten Iran in the group stage and, in that encounter, also identified a weakness they would return to when the stakes were much higher-the left flank.
Raiders Nikita, captain Pooja and Sanju Devi repeatedly attacked from that side, and the strategy paid dividends.
The tall, athletic Iranians had the technique and the physical presence to trouble India. Still, their lack of experience at this level showed when India consistently found openings on the left.
India began briskly, moving 3-1 ahead and reducing Iran to three players. But the Iranians refused to be overwhelmed.
Their youthful energy kept them in the contest, and they fought back to level the scores at 7-7, with a succession of TV reviews underlining just how fiercely contested the opening exchanges were.
India’s raiding was not at its most fluent in the first half, but its defence compensated.
