Defending champions India began their Asian Games 2026 men’s kabaddi title defence with a dominant 49-24 victory over hosts Japan in their Group A opener. The match was played at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium in Aichi, Japan, with India controlling the contest from the opening minutes.
India vs Japan kabaddi result met the fans’ expectations: the defending champions won by 25 points after producing a commanding first half. India led 31-9 at the break before Japan challenging in the second half. However, India’s early advantage proved too large for the hosts to overcome.
India vs Japan Kabaddi Score
India vs Japan kabaddi score was 31-9 in India’s favour at half-time. India had already inflicted two all-outs during the opening period, with Ashu Malik and Devank Dalal leading the attacking effort.
India added another 18 points in the second half, while Japan scored 15. The hosts improved their performance after the break, but India eventually completed a 49-24 victory.
India vs Japan Kabaddi Highlights
Japan took an early lead through a bonus point. Ayan Lochhab quickly levelled the contest with a touch point before Ashu Malik produced the first major moment of the match.
Ashu delivered a three-point Super Raid that immediately put pressure on Japan’s defence. India then continued to attack aggressively, while Sunil Kumar and Rahul provided strong defensive support.
India’s first all out came early as the champions moved 11-2 ahead. A second all out followed soon afterwards, extending the advantage to 18-2. India continued controlling the contest and went into half time with a 31-9 lead.
The second half also began strongly for India. The champions inflicted a third all out to move 40-12 ahead before making several substitutions. Five players from the starting seven were rotated, allowing experienced players including Pawan Sehrawat, Aslam Inamdar and Arjun Deshwal to get valuable match time.
Japan then produced its best spell of the match. The hosts adopted a more attacking approach and managed to reduce India to only two players on the mat at one stage. Japan also outscored India 15-9 during the final 10 minutes, but the comeback was not enough.
Key Performances
Ashu Malik was one of India’s biggest performers, setting the tone with his early three point Super Raid. His attacking raids repeatedly created problems for Japan’s defensive unit.
Devank Dalal also played an important role in India’s first half dominance. His combination with Ashu and Ayan Lochhab helped India create repeated pressure and complete the early all outs.
In defence, Sunil Kumar and Rahul provided stability and limited Japan’s opportunities during the opening half. Pawan Sehrawat and Arjun Deshwal also contributed after entering the match during the second half.
What’s Next for India?
India now sit at the top of Group A alongside Bangladesh, the Republic of Korea, Chinese Taipei and Japan. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi finals.
India’s next match is against the Republic of Korea on Tuesday, September 22, at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium. After their strong opening performance, the defending champions will look to maintain their momentum in the next group fixture.
