India Open Asian Games 2026 Kabaddi Campaign With 49-24 Win Over Japan

The wait was over, and India wasted little time making their presence felt. The Indian men's kabaddi team opened their Asian Games 2026 campaign with a 49-24 victory over hosts Japan in Aichi-Nagoya, getting their title defence off to a winning start. The match was played at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium on September 21, with captain Sunil Kumar leading a largely new-look Indian side. For India, it was a performance built around an explosive first half, disciplined defence and a strong contribution from the team's new generation of raiders.

India Take Control Early

India came out aggressively from the opening minutes, and Ashu Malik immediately made an impact with a three-point Super Raid. The pressure continued to build as India's raiders and defenders worked together to keep Japan from establishing any rhythm. India eventually inflicted three All-Outs in the first half, while also collecting 24 points through direct outs. By half-time, the scoreboard read India 31-9 Japan a 22-point advantage that put India firmly in control.

Japan's attack struggled to find consistent scoring opportunities during the opening period. According to the match breakdown, Japan managed only five touch points in the first half and relied heavily on bonus points to stay in the contest.

Japan Fight Back After the Break

The second half was considerably more competitive. Japan returned with greater discipline and began finding more opportunities through bonus-line attempts and quick hand touches. They won the second half 15-18, reducing India's advantage slightly. However, the damage from the opening 20 minutes had already been done. India's defence remained composed when Japan attempted to build momentum, while another All-Out and a timely Super Tackle helped prevent the hosts from turning the match into a genuine contest. India eventually closed out the game 49-24.

Ashu Malik Leads India's Scoring

The Indian attack had several contributors, but Ashu Malik was the leading scorer from the performances highlighted in the supplied match graphics, finishing with nine raid points. Devank Dalal also produced an important contribution with seven raid points, while Ankit Jaglan registered three tackle points. The performance was particularly significant for a team entering the tournament with eight Asian Games debutants in the 12-member squad. Alongside established names such as Sunil Kumar, Pawan Sehrawat and Aslam Inamdar, India are introducing a substantial group of players experiencing the Games for the first time.

India's Starting Seven Against Japan

India's starting seven, as shown in the supplied match graphic, were:

1. Sunil Kumar (Captain)
2. Ayan Lohchab
3. Jaideep Dahiya
4. Devank Dalal
5. Sumit Sangwan
6. Rahul Sethpal
7. Ashu Malik

The substitutes listed were Pawan Sehrawat, Aslam Inamdar, Arjun Deshwal, Gaurav Khatri and Ankit Jaglan. That selection gave India a combination of new-generation raiders and defenders alongside experienced international campaigners.

India vs Japan: A Long Asian Games History

The 2026 meeting was also another chapter in a long-running Asian Games rivalry. The supplied head-to-head graphic shows seven previous India-Japan men's kabaddi meetings, with India winning every listed encounter. The scores shown are 45-18, 62-16, 59-25, 53-21, 55-25, 52-17 and 56-30, with the most recent previous meeting coming at the 2022 Asian Games, when India won 56-30.

There is one historical labeling issue worth noting: the supplied graphic labels the first meeting as 1980, while men's kabaddi became a full Asian Games medal event in 1990. Historical records list India's first Asian Games men's kabaddi match against Japan in 1990, with India winning 45-18. The pattern continued in Aichi-Nagoya.

A Strong First Step in India's Title Defence

The 49-24 victory gives India a winning start in Group A, where they are competing alongside Japan, Bangladesh, the Republic of Korea and Chinese Taipei. India entered the tournament as the defending men's champions after winning gold at Hangzhou 2022. The team has also won eight of the nine previous men's Asian Games kabaddi titles, with the exception coming in 2018. But the significance of this opening match goes beyond the final score. For captain Sunil Kumar, it was the beginning of his first Asian Games campaign as India's men's captain. For Ashu Malik, Devank Dalal, Ayan Lohchab, Jaideep Dahiya, Sumit Sangwan, Rahul Sethpal, Gaurav Khatri and Ankit Jaglan, it was an introduction to the Asian Games stage. And for India, it was the first step in a new campaign one that began with a 49-24 win over the hosts.

Quick Match Facts