India Beat Chinese Taipei 37-21, Finish Asian Games 2026 Group Stage Unbeaten and Enter Semi-Finals

India are into the Asian Games 2026 men's kabaddi semi-finals with a perfect record. The defending champions defeated Chinese Taipei 37-21 in their final Group A encounter, completing the league stage with four victories from four matches. India had already beaten Japan, South Korea and Bangladesh before facing Chinese Taipei. Their fourth consecutive victory confirmed an unbeaten finish at the top of Group A.

India's group-stage journey:

Played 4. Won 4. Lost 0. Now, the knockout stage begins.

India Take 23-11 Lead Into Half-Time

Chinese Taipei provided resistance, but India gradually took control through a combination of raiding and defence. Aslam Inamdar and Rahul Sethpal were influential defensively in the opening phase, with Sethpal's ankle holds helping India put Chinese Taipei under pressure. India inflicted an early All-Out before continuing to build their advantage. Chinese Taipei responded with Super Tackles and defensive points of their own, but India forced a second All-Out before the interval. The score at half-time stood at: Chinese Taipei 11-23 India India therefore entered the second half with a 12-point cushion.

India Finish the Job 37-21

Chinese Taipei continued searching for bonus points after the break and attempted to reduce the deficit, but India remained composed. India's raiders continued to move the scoreboard while the defence restricted Chinese Taipei's opportunities. Another All-Out helped India consolidate their position before the defending champions closed out the contest 37-21. India collected 28 points from successful raids, three bonus points and six All-Out points, according to Akashvani's match report. The result completed an unbeaten Group A campaign.

Rahul Sethpal Registers a High 5

According to the player statistics supplied for the match, Rahul Sethpal was India's leading defender with five tackle points, completing a High 5. India also received contributions from several different raiders:

The spread of points across the squad was notable, with no single raider required to carry India's attack.

India Made Major Changes to Starting Seven

India also used their final league match to start with a different combination. The Starting 7 against Chinese Taipei, according to the supplied lineup graphic, was:

1. Sunil Kumar (C)
2. Pawan Sehrawat
3. Jaideep Dahiya
4. Aslam Inamdar
5. Ankit Jaglan
6. Rahul Sethpal
7. Arjun Deshwal

Substitutes: Ayan Lohchab, Devank Dalal, Ashu Malik, Gaurav Khatri and Sumit Sangwan. It was a notable change from the starting combination India used against Bangladesh, with Pawan Sehrawat, Aslam Inamdar, Ankit Jaglan and Arjun Deshwal coming into the seven.

India Finish Top of Group A

With all league matches now completed, India finish first in Group A. The final standings shown in the supplied points table are:

India's four wins also leave them as the only unbeaten team in Group A. Independent match reports confirm India topped the group with four victories from four. In Group B, Iran finished first with four wins from four, while Thailand qualified in second place, according to the supplied final table.

Asian Games 2026 Men's Kabaddi Semi-Finals Set

The league stage is now over, and the competition moves into the knockout phase. According to the semi-final fixtures supplied:

Semi-Final 1, India vs Thailand
September 25, 2026
10:45 AM IST

Semi-Final 2, Iran vs Chinese Taipei
September 25, 2026
3:45 PM IST

The official tournament schedule confirms that the men's semi-finals take place on September 25, followed by the gold-medal match on September 26.

India vs Thailand in the Semi-Final

India's next challenge will be Thailand, who finished second in Group B. India arrive in the semi-final having won every match so far, while Thailand's supplied group-stage record stands at three victories and one defeat. The equation is now simple: the winner of the semi-final advances to the Asian Games 2026 gold-medal match. India are the defending champions, having won men's kabaddi gold at Hangzhou 2022. Kabaddi's tournament format awards bronze medals to both losing semi-finalists, so reaching the last four also guarantees India a medal.

India's Road to the Asian Games 2026 Semi-Final

India's four group-stage results tell the story of a commanding opening phase:

49-24 vs Japan
63-31 vs South Korea
48-25 vs Bangladesh
37-21 vs Chinese Taipei

Across those four matches, India scored 197 points while conceding 101. Most importantly: 4 Matches. 4 Wins. Semi-Final Qualified. The league stage is finished. India's next match is the one that can take them into the Asian Games 2026 men's kabaddi final.