India claim third Asian Games gold after beating Iran in kabaddi final

India retained the women’s kabaddi gold medal at the Asian Games after edging Iran 37-34 in a closely fought final in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday.

India led 22-16 at half-time but had to endure a strong second-half fightback from Iran. Iran outscored India 18-15 in the second half and reduced the margin to one point at 27-26 with about eight minutes remaining. India held their nerve in the dying stages to win the title.

It was India’s third gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games after women’s cricket and the 10m air pistol mixed team event.

India’s women had reached the final unbeaten, beating Bangladesh and Iran in the group stage and then Nepal 48-24 in the semi-final.

The result also extended India’s record in women’s kabaddi at the Asian Games. Iran had beaten India in the final in Jakarta in 2018, the only edition since the introduction of the women’s event in 2010 in which India has not won gold.

India men were to play Iran in the men’s final later on Saturday.