India defeated Iran 42-32 in a nail-biting championship match at the Dong-Eui Institute of Technology Seokdang Cultural Centre in Busan, Republic of Korea, to win their eighth title in the previous nine Asian Kabaddi Championship competitions. The game, played on Friday, demonstrated both teams’ amazing talent and persistence.
The Indian Men’s Kabaddi Team brought their A game, led by the outstanding play of Pawan Sehrawat, the team’s captain, who scored an amazing super 10. Despite falling behind Iran in the opening five minutes of the game, successful raids led by Pawan Sehrawat and Aslam Inamdar eventually led to Iran’s first all-out of the game in the tenth minute.
The Indian kabaddi team capitalized on the momentum and kept expanding their lead while putting in a strong overall effort. India inflicted a second all-out on their opponents in the 19th minute, allowing Iran to earn a few simple bonus points. India started the second half with a dominant 23-11 lead.
Iran’s Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh, the team captain, produced a spirited comeback in the 29th minute, pulling off a two-point raid, followed by a super raid, which led to India’s first all-out of the game. Iran cut the score to 38-31 with only two minutes left, producing a dramatic and suspenseful conclusion. However, India showed tenacity and persevered to earn a spirited 42-32 triumph.
India had already proven their superiority in the league stage, defeating Hong Kong with a commanding score of 64-20. Six teams competed in the Asian Kabaddi Championship: India, Iran, Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipei, and Hong Kong. India finished first on the points chart after winning all five games during the league round. Iran qualified for the final by taking second place, with their lone loss coming at the hands of India during the league stage.
The upcoming Asian Games, scheduled to take place in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8, will serve as the Indian kabaddi teams’ next significant test in the near future. At this famous continental multi-sport event, Iran, the defending champions from the semi-finals in Jakarta in 2018, will try to defend their title.
