India Men’s and Women’s Kabaddi Teams Reach Asian Games Finals
India’s men’s and women’s kabaddi teams stormed into the Asian Games finals after dominant semifinal victories over Thailand and Nepal.
India’s men’s and women’s kabaddi teams have reached the Asian Games finals after unbeaten runs and commanding semifinal victories in Aichi-Nagoya. Both defending champions are now one win away from retaining their respective titles.
The women’s team defeated Nepal 48-24 in the semifinal, taking control early with a 31-17 halftime lead. India’s raiders produced 35 points while the defence forced three All-Outs. Sanju Devi played a key role in attack as India maintained its advantage throughout the match.
The men delivered an even bigger margin of victory, defeating Thailand 66-28. India led 37-18 at halftime after repeatedly finding points through Devank Dalal and Arjun Deshwal. Thailand briefly threatened a comeback through Theeradet Chaisit, but India regained control and continued extending the lead after the break.
Devank remained a major attacking threat while Ayan Lohchab and Aslam Inamdar also contributed as India’s defence kept Thailand under sustained pressure. India’s final tally included 43 outs, 15 bonus points and three All-Outs.
Both teams have now remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and will play their respective gold-medal matches on Saturday. The men will face the winner of the Chinese Taipei-Iran semifinal, while the women will meet the winner of the corresponding semifinal.
With both defending champions reaching the final without a defeat, India’s kabaddi campaign has delivered exactly the kind of drama fans were hoping for. One more match, and the gold-medal chase reaches its final boss level.
