India's Women Crowned Champions at Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship
India's Historic Victory in Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship
In Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India's women's kabaddi team made history by clinching the title at the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship, defeating Uganda Women decisively with a score of 35-15. This victory marked the culmination of an unbeaten journey throughout the tournament.
Sakshi emerged as the standout performer for India, scoring nine points from ten raids, including two bonus points. Impressively, she secured seven of those points in the first half, successfully completing all six of her raids.
Contributions came from Anu, who added six points, while captain Nidhi Sharma contributed five points, including three bonus points. The defensive efforts were bolstered by Ritu and Suman, each achieving four tackle points. Overall, India amassed 20 raid points and 10 tackle points, executing two All-Outs during the match.
On the Ugandan side, Nakayongo Shirat led the charge, accounting for 24 of their 35 raids and scoring 11 points, including three bonus points. The remaining raiders for Uganda managed only three points collectively, with semi-final standout Nalwoga Nahia limited to just one point.
Uganda's Zalwango Jemima managed to halt an Indian raider only once in the second half. Uganda recorded 14 raid points and a single tackle point throughout the match.
India took an early lead of 7-3 with ten minutes left in the first half, then surged ahead, outscoring Uganda 15-4, including an All-Out, to establish a 22-7 lead at halftime. Remarkably, India did not lose a single raid in the first half, while Uganda failed in all nine of their tackle attempts, with Indian defenders successfully tackling six times.
Although Uganda slightly outperformed India in raid points during the second half, the Indian team secured their second All-Out with under ten minutes remaining, solidifying their victory. Throughout the match, India successfully tackled Uganda's raiders ten times and converted three out of four do-or-die raids.
Sakshi, who concluded the championship with an impressive 52 points across six matches and was named India's top player in the final, expressed her joy: “I’m thrilled to have scored 9 raid points and contributed to our victory. The team atmosphere is euphoric after winning the gold medal, and everyone is elated. This event is crucial for kabaddi, as international tournaments like this will foster the sport's growth, benefiting our young players immensely. I've noticed significant improvements in other teams since last year. I want to extend my gratitude to AKFI for organizing such a fantastic championship.”
India's women's team completed a flawless campaign in Ahmedabad, achieving six victories in six matches. They began with a dominant 73-13 win over Malaysia, followed by a 32-16 victory against Singapore, a 41-18 win over Uganda, and a 38-10 triumph over Nigeria, finishing at the top of Group A. In the semi-finals, they defeated Sri Lanka 39-14 before securing the championship against Uganda.