Asian Games: India thrash Korea to defend Kabaddi title on track

India continued their strong start to their kabaddi campaign at the Asian Games by beating Korea Republic 63-31 in their second Group A match at the Tokai Citizens Gymnasium on Tuesday. Led by captain Sunil Kumar, India were in control almost from the opening whistle. Their raiders repeatedly breached the Korean defense while the defenders ensured that Korea struggled to build some sustained momentum. The win followed India’s fantastic performance against Japan on Monday, a game they won 49-24.

ASIAN GAMES UPDATE 22 SEPTEMBER

India’s raiding unit produced 38 points compared to Korea’s 23, setting the tone for a one-sided contest. The advantage was already considerable at half-time, with India going into the break 34-14.

In the first half, India collected 23 outs and seven bonus points, while two All-Outs further widened the gap. Meanwhile, Korea managed just 10 touch points before the break as India’s defense kept their raiders under pressure.

Korea showed some improvement after the restart but could not make much of a dent in India’s advantage. The Indian team added another 29 points in the second half including another All-Out to finish with 17 bonus points overall.

Korea scored 17 points after the break but remained a long way from a comeback as India comfortably saw out the game.

The win keeps India unbeaten after two matches in Group A, having already defeated hosts Japan. They next face Bangladesh on September 23, with their sights firmly set on another deep run in the competition. They will then face Chinese Taipei in their final Group A game on Thursday.

India are aiming for their ninth Asian Games kabaddi gold in the last 10 editions. The Indian women’s team will take on Iran in their second Group A match on Wednesday, having opened their campaign with a win over Bangladesh on Monday.

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Published on:

22 Sep 2026 14:04 IST