India completed a golden double in kabaddi at the Asian Games 2026, defeating arch-rivals Iran 40-34 in the men’s final on Saturday to clinch the gold medal.
The victory gave India its fourth gold medal of this edition of the Games. India had earlier won gold in women’s cricket, the 10m air pistol mixed team event through Kamaljeet and Suruchi Singh, and women’s kabaddi.
For the men’s kabaddi team, this is a record-extending ninth gold medal in Asian Games history. India’s only failure to win gold came in 2018, when the team settled for a bronze medal.
The final lived up to expectations from the opening raid, with India and Iran exchanging points in a closely fought contest. Arjun Deshwal and Devank Dalal led India’s attack with aggressive raids, while Ali Samadi Choubtarash emerged as an early threat for Iran.
India captain Sunil Kumar, along with Jaideep, Sumit and Rahul Sethpal, played a key role in holding the defence together.
With both teams displaying patience and discipline in defence, the match remained tightly contested. Iran held a narrow 18-17 lead at the end of the first half.
The turning point came in the second half when Arjun Deshwal managed to get past Iran’s formidable Fazel Atrachali. The successful raid set up an All-Out for India, giving the team a five-point lead with 10 minutes remaining.
Iran tried to fight back in the closing stages, but India’s defence held firm. The Indian team eventually secured a 40-34 victory, winning the gold medal and completing its Asian Games campaign unbeaten.
