Asian Games 2023 kabaddi: India women assure medal with win over Thailand

The Indian women’s kabaddi team is assured a medal at the Asian Games 2023 after a 54-22 win over Thailand at the Xiaoshan Guali Sports Centre in Hangzhou, the People’s Republic of China on Wednesday.

The win helped the Indian kabaddi team, champions in 2010 and 2014 and runners-up in 2018, finish Group A with five points from three matches and seal their place in the semi-finals. The losing semi-finalists will be awarded bronze medals in kabaddi at the Asian Games 2023.

Defending champions Iran topped Group B with Nepal as the runners-up. The final standings in Group A will be determined after Chinese Taipei’s match against South Korea later in the day.

Against Thailand, India’s Pushpa Rana, Nidhi Sharma and Pooja Hathwala got the team off to a good start with incisive raids. The Indian defence, meanwhile, had their hands full with Thai raiders and denied easy bonus points.

India inflicted three all-outs on Thailand in the first half and led 32-9. Thailand raised their game after the break and tested India’s defence. Saowapa Chuekhaow in particular, troubled the Indian defence and also got a super raid.

Indian defenders soon pulled up their socks and slowed down the scoring from Thailand. On the other hand, the raiders, led by Nidhi Sharma, continued to steal points with ease to win the kabaddi match by a margin of 32 points.

Earlier, the Indian women’s kabaddi team was held by Chinese Taipei for a tie in the opening game but brought its campaign back on track courtesy of a 56-23 win over the Republic of Korea in the second match on Tuesday.

The women’s kabaddi semi-finals at the Asian Games 2023 will be played on Friday.