India Reach Both Kabaddi Finals as Shooting Gold Lifts Asian Games Campaign
India secured two opportunities to defend Asian Games kabaddi titles on Friday, September 25, as both national teams advanced to their finals in Aichi-Nagoya. The successful semifinals complemented a productive day at the shooting range and athletics stadium, taking India’s overall medal count to 23.
Kabaddi teams set up India-Iran finals
The women’s kabaddi team continued its unbeaten campaign with a commanding 48-24 semifinal victory over Nepal. India produced three all-outs and maintained control after establishing an early advantage, ensuring at least a silver medal.
The defending champions will face Iran in the women’s gold-medal match at 9:30 am IST on Saturday, September 26. India have already defeated Iran 37-23 during the group stage, but the final offers a separate test against the side that denied them the title at the 2018 Asian Games.
India’s men were even more emphatic in their semifinal, defeating Thailand 66-28. The team’s deep raiding options and aggressive defence kept Thailand from building sustained momentum as India pulled away decisively.
The men will also meet Iran for gold, with their final scheduled for 2:30 pm IST on Saturday. The fixture renews one of kabaddi’s most significant international rivalries. India defeated Iran in the delayed Hangzhou Games final and will now attempt to retain the championship in Japan.
Suruchi and Kamaljeet claim shooting gold
India’s standout performance at the shooting range came from Suruchi Inder Singh and Kamaljeet in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. The pair led qualification with 587-29x before winning the final and delivering India’s second gold medal of the Games. Their qualification performance matched the Asian record.
There was another medal in the men’s 50m rifle three positions team competition. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Patil and Niraj Kumar combined to win silver, strengthening shooting’s position as India’s leading medal-producing discipline during the opening week.
The individual final proved more difficult. Aishwary finished fifth with 327.6 points, while Niraj placed eighth with 299.0, leaving India without an individual medal in the event. India’s shooters have nevertheless collected 10 medals so far: one gold, five silver and four bronze.
Athletics and table tennis add to the tally
India finished September 25 with 23 medals, comprising two gold, nine silver and 12 bronze, placing the contingent 12th in the standings at the close of the day’s programme.
Gulveer Singh provided the day’s second silver by finishing runner-up in the men’s 10,000m in 28 minutes, 29.38 seconds. Baranica Elangovan cleared 4.15 metres to win bronze in the women’s pole vault, becoming India’s first Asian Games medallist in that event.
Manpreet Kaur added bronze in the women’s shot put, while Diya Chitale and Manush Shah took bronze in mixed doubles table tennis after reaching the semifinals. India also secured future medal opportunities in squash, where Anahat Singh advanced in women’s singles and the mixed doubles partnership of Joshana Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar reached the last four.
More medal events ahead
Saturday’s programme will be headlined by the two kabaddi finals, but India will have medal possibilities across several other sports. Shooting continues with the women’s 50m rifle three positions team and individual events, while athletics includes finals in the men’s shot put, men’s triple jump, women’s long jump, women’s javelin and women’s 3,000m steeplechase.
Squash, hockey, boxing, canoe sprint, badminton and table tennis also remain important parts of India’s schedule. The women’s hockey team has already reached the semifinals after beating Japan 3-1, while several individual and team events will progress through their knockout rounds. The Asian Games continue until October 4, leaving significant room for India to improve its position in the medal table.
Where to follow the Asian Games
Viewers in India can watch television coverage on the Sony Sports Network and stream available events through Sony LIV. Live schedules, results and updated medal standings are also available through the official Aichi-Nagoya 2026 competition platform. As coverage can vary by sport and session, readers should check the daily event listings before each competition begins.
