Aichi-Nagoya, September 26, 2026: India are once again at the top of Asian women’s kabaddi. The Indian women’s kabaddi team defeated Iran 37-34 in a tense gold-medal final at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, successfully defending their title and bringing home another gold medal. It was a final that demanded composure until the very end. India established an early advantage, Iran mounted a serious comeback after the break, but the Indian team held its nerve to finish three points ahead. The victory also completed an unbeaten campaign for India at the Games.

India 37-34 Iran: Final Score

India led 22-16 at half-time, giving them a six-point advantage heading into the second half. Iran responded strongly after the interval and kept the contest alive until the closing stages, but India managed to protect its lead and finish the job.

Pooja Kajla Leads the Way With a Super 10

The headline individual performance for India came from Pooja Kajla, who produced a Super 10 in the final. Her contribution was crucial in an attacking battle where Iran continually tried to close the gap.

India’s Top Performers

• Pooja Kajla, Super 10
• Sanju Devi, 8 raid points
• Nikita Kumari, 5 raid points

The performance of the Indian raiding unit gave the team the points needed to build its early advantage and withstand Iran's second-half pressure. Pooja's Super 10 was particularly important as India looked to maintain its advantage during a tightly contested final.

India’s Starting Seven

India began the gold-medal match with:

1. Jyoti Thakur
2. Manisha Kumari
3. Pushpa Rana (Captain)
4. Nikita Kumari
5. Pooja Kajla
6. Bhavna Devi
7. Sanju Devi

Substitutes: Sonali Shingate, Ritu Negi, Rajrani, Ritu Sheoran and Pinki Roy.

Captain Pushpa Rana led the side into the final as India looked to defend the women's kabaddi title won at Hangzhou 2022.

Iran Push India All the Way

Iran did not allow India to turn the final into a one-sided contest. India's 22-16 half-time lead gave them control, but Iran came out with greater intensity after the break and steadily reduced the deficit. At one stage, Iran had brought the margin down to just one point at 26-27, putting India's gold-medal hopes under genuine pressure with eight minutes remaining. India responded by regaining control of the scoreboard and eventually closed the match 37-34. That sequence summed up the final: India controlled the opening half, Iran fought back, and the defending champions found the composure required to finish the job.

India’s Road to the Gold Medal

India's gold medal was built on an unbeaten run throughout the tournament. The women's team opened its campaign with a 42-21 victory over Bangladesh, followed that with a 37-23 win over Iran, and then completed the group stage with a 50-25 victory over Japan. India subsequently defeated Nepal 48-24 in the semi-final to book its place in the gold-medal match. The semi-final against Nepal was another commanding display, with India producing three All-Outs and a powerful raiding performance to reach the final. And when the biggest match arrived, India produced one more winning performance.

Fourth Asian Games Gold for India’s Women

The victory has further strengthened India's record in women's kabaddi at the Asian Games. Women's kabaddi was introduced at the Asian Games in 2010, and India had previously won gold in 2010, 2014 and 2022. Iran interrupted India's run by winning the title at Jakarta 2018. With the 37-34 victory in Aichi-Nagoya, India have now collected their fourth women's kabaddi gold medal at the Asian Games. The result also means India have successfully defended the title they won in Hangzhou.

A Golden Day for Indian Kabaddi

There was an even bigger reason for Indian kabaddi fans to celebrate. Earlier, the Indian men's kabaddi team also defeated Iran 40-34 to win the men's gold medal at the Asian Games 2026. That means both India's men's and women's kabaddi teams are Asian Games champions in Aichi-Nagoya. The women's team got the golden celebrations started with a hard-fought 37-34 victory. The men's team then completed the double with its own six-point win over Iran. For Indian kabaddi, it was a day of two finals, two victories and two gold medals.

From Pooja Kajla's Super 10 to Sanju Devi's eight raid points, from the early 22-16 advantage to Iran's late fightback, the final had everything a gold-medal match should have. But when the final whistle sounded, India were still ahead. India are the Asian Games 2026 Women’s Kabaddi Champions.