Asian Games 2026: India thrash Japan 49-23 in kabaddi opener
India's kabaddi team, led by captain Sunil Kumar, routed hosts Japan 49-23 in their opening match at the 2026 Asian Games
The 2026 Asian Games are underway in Japan, and Indian teams have been putting up strong performances across sports. As Indian athletes win medals in various events, India's kabaddi team also made a dominant start to the tournament. Playing under captain Sunil Kumar, the Indian team defeated hosts Japan by a huge margin, winning 49-23 in a one-sided contest.
India dominated the match from the very first minute. With a strong combination of aggressive raiding and solid defence, the Indian team gave Japan no chance to make a comeback. Japan were under pressure from the start of the match and never found a way out of it. India looked in excellent form in their opening match and recorded a one-sided victory.
Indian raiders repeatedly breached Japan's defence, considered a strong unit, to score points one after another. Japan's defenders struggled to read the movement and speed of the Indian raiders and kept losing points as a result. India had the upper hand not just in raiding but also in defence. Under Sunil Kumar's leadership, the Indian defenders' tackling strategy made it difficult for Japan to score, repeatedly stalling their attacks.
From the start of the match, Indian raiders kept up constant pressure on Japan's defence, and this strategy paid off. Star raider Ashu Malik pulled off a super raid, showing excellent skill to get three Japanese players out in a single raid. The super raid gave India a big boost and dealt a major blow to Japan. As a result, India ended the first half with a commanding 31-9 lead. On the back of strong team play, India inflicted an all-out on Japan twice in the first half itself.
In the second half, India gave opportunities to experienced players from their bench. Arjun Deshwal scored a good point on his very first raid after coming on, extending the team's tally. Pawan Sehrawat and Aslam Inamdar then kept up the pressure on Japan's defence with their agile play. On the back of these three players' attacking performances, India inflicted a third all-out on Japan, further strengthening their lead, and the team maintained this dominance till the end to seal the win.
