New Delhi, September 20: Defending Asian Games gold medalists India's men and women kabaddi teams will begin their title defence from September 21. Both sides are arriving as defending champions after a golden double at Hangzhou 2022.
The men's team will begin their Asian Games campaign against hosts Japan, while the women's team will face Bangladesh.
The event will take place at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium from September 21 to 26, featuring 10 men's and eight women's teams. The competition will follow a round-robin group stage, followed by the semi-finals and gold medal matches.
Asian Games Kabaddi: Groups
India's men's team has been placed in Group A alongside hosts Japan, the Republic of Korea, Chinese Taipei and Bangladesh. Group B consists of Iran, Nepal, Thailand,
Pakistan and Malaysia, meaning Asian powerhouses India and Iran will avoid each other during the group stage.
In the women's competition, India have been drawn in Group A with Iran, Japan and Bangladesh, while Group B features Chinese Taipei, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal. Unlike the men's event, India's women will face Iran in the group phase itself.
The draw creates a clear contrast between India's men's and women's campaigns. While the men's team has avoided Iran until the knockout stages, with the two sides placed in separate groups, the women's team will face Iran in the group stage itself after being drawn together in Group A.
Asian Games: Who Are The Heavyweights?
Besides India, Iran stands out as a genuine contender in both men's and women's kabaddi, having been the only other country besides India to win a game across both events. Interestingly, it was Iran that ended India's seven-medal run at Jakarta back in 2018. The women's team then won 27-24 to deny the women's team a gold medal.
India avenged both defeats at Hangzhou, beating Iran for men's gold while the women held off Chinese Taipei 26-25 in a final that went down to the wire. Chinese Taipei's push to that final has established them as a standard-bearer of the women's game outside India and Iran, while Bangladesh and Republic of Korea, both multiple Asian Games medallists, round out a testing group for the Indian men. Hosts Japan will also draw on home support in front of a crowd new to top-level kabaddi.
India's men's team will be guided by head coach Balwan Singh, who has 14 international gold medals as a coach, including all three of India's Kabaddi World Cup triumphs in 2004, 2007 and 2016. He will be assisted by BC Ramesh, a two-time Pro Kabaddi League-winning coach with Bengal Warriors and Puneri Paltan.
Singh has urged his players to treat every opponent with equal respect, insisting that complacency could quickly change the complexion of a match.
"We don't consider any opponent to be weak. If we make a mistake somewhere, the opponent becomes heavier, so the focus has to be on making the fewest possible errors over the full 40 minutes. "
The women's side, coached by Neeta Dadwe and Mamtha Poojari, will target a fourth gold in five Asian Games appearances. India have medalled at every edition they have contested, winning gold in 2010, 2014 and 2022 and silver in 2018. Pushpa Rana will captain the team, with Sonali Shingate and 2025 Women's Kabaddi World Cup MVP Sanju Devi among the key players.
Poojari expects Iran and Chinese Taipei to pose India's biggest challenges. "Iran and Chinese Taipei are the teams we're watching most closely," she said, pointing to Iran's high-tempo approach throughout the 40 minutes.
Fixtures and Schedule (IST)
- Sep 21: Men vs Japan (9:45 AM), Women vs Bangladesh (4:15 PM)
- Sep 22: Men vs South Korea (7:15 AM)
- Sep 23: Women vs Iran (8:30 AM), Men vs Bangladesh (9:45 AM)
- Sep 24: Men vs Chinese Taipei (9:45 AM), Women vs Japan (4:15 PM)
- Sep 25: Women's SF1 (9:30 AM), Men's SF1 (10:45 AM), Women's SF2 (2:30 PM), Men's SF2 (3:45 PM)
- Sep 26: Women's Final (9:30 AM), Men's Final (2:30 PM)
