The Indian women's kabaddi team received a rousing welcome on their return to the country on Tuesday after clinching the Women's Kabaddi World Cup title in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on November 24. India defeated Chinese Taipei 35-28 in the final, capturing their second consecutive World Cup crown and reaffirming their dominance in the sport.
Head coach V. Tejeswini Bai was full of praise for her team's performance, expressing immense pride in their achievement. "What this team achieved in Dhaka has filled my heart with pride. The girls played with incredible heart, discipline, and determination - every single match was a reflection of their hunger to bring glory to India.
"I was the head coach when we won the Asian Games in 2023, and the Asian Kabaddi
Championship in 2025, so this is a hat-trick of wins for me. Winning a World Cup medal for the country is always special, but watching these young women rise to the moment makes it even more meaningful. As a coach, I couldn't be prouder of them," she added.
Captain Ritu Negi highlighted how monumental the victory was for the growth of women's kabaddi in India. "Lifting the World Cup for India is a feeling beyond words. As captain, I know I'm only as strong as the team behind me, and this group of girls stood together through every challenge.
Women's kabaddi has grown so much - the competition is tougher than ever - but we believed in each other till the final whistle. Chinese Taipei pushed us hard, but our unity and trust made the difference. This victory belongs to every girl who dreams of representing India one day," she added.
Star raider Sanju Devi, who was named Player of the Tournament, credited the team's solidarity for their success. "Being named Player of the Tournament is an honour I will cherish forever, but this moment belongs to my entire team. Every raid, every tackle, every point - it came from our collective fight.
"The final against Chinese Taipei tested us, but we walked in with one dream: to bring the trophy home. This win means so much for women's kabaddi in India. It shows how far we've come, and how much further we're ready to go," she said.
India were dominant throughout the competition, winning all their group matches before outclassing Iran 33-21 in the semi-final. Chinese Taipei also advanced unbeaten, edging hosts Bangladesh 25-18 in their semi-final before falling short in the decider.
