India Dominates South Korea in Asian Games Kabaddi Match
India's Unbeaten Streak Continues
Photo: IANS
Nagoya, Sep 22: India maintained their unbeaten status at the 2026 Asian Games, achieving a decisive 63–31 victory over South Korea in their second Group A match held at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium on Tuesday.
Under the leadership of Sunil Kumar, the Indian team established dominance early in the game and maintained it throughout. The raiding squad was particularly effective, scoring 38 out points compared to Korea's 23, while the defense executed a series of successful tackles that disrupted Korea's offensive efforts.
India surged ahead to a 34–14 lead by halftime, accumulating 23 out points and seven bonus points in the first half, along with two All-Outs that left Korea struggling to respond. The Korean raiders found it challenging to penetrate the Indian defense, managing only 10 touch points before the break.
The second half mirrored the first, with Korea showing slightly more resistance but failing to mount a serious comeback. India added another 29 points after the break, executing one more All-Out and increasing their bonus points to 17 for the match, while Korea could only muster 17 points, far from enough to close the gap.
This victory keeps India on track to lead Group A, having already defeated the host nation Japan and now Korea in consecutive matches.
The men's team is set to face Bangladesh on September 23 in Group A as they aim for their ninth Asian Games gold medal in the last ten tournaments.
India holds the record as the most successful team in Asian Games kabaddi, with 11 gold medals out of 13 titles contested. The men's team has claimed eight of the last nine titles, with their only loss occurring in Jakarta 2018, where they secured bronze. The women's team has won three out of four titles, earning a silver in 2018.
Japan's highest finish in Asian Games kabaddi was a bronze medal at the Guangzhou 2010 event.