Asian Games 2023: India men's kabaddi team thump Iran in dramatic final to clinch gold medal

The battle between two formidable teams was an exhilarating and dramatic affair.

India's men's team clinched the gold medal at the Asian Games 2023 after defeating Iran in a thrilling final match. The game was filled with excitement, culminating in India's victory with a score of 33-29. The climactic moment came during Pawan Sehrawat's final raid, which unfolded into over an hour of intense drama, ultimately sealing India's triumph. Surjit Singh, alongside Aslam Inamdar and Naveen Kumar, found themselves in the starting lineup, mirroring the team that had played in the semifinals.

In the opening raid, Mohammadreza Shadlu secured Iran's first point by dismissing Aslam Inamdar. India's captain, Pawan Sehrawat, quickly followed with a point, but in the subsequent raid, Fazel Atrachali tackled him. Nevertheless, Pawan Sehrawat made a remarkable comeback after being revived and bagged two points in a single raid. Aslam Inamdar and Naveen Kumar also consistently contributed points through their raiding efforts.

Indian team took lead in the first half

In the first half, India took the lead, but Iran displayed impressive defense and raiding skills in the initial ten minutes, momentarily putting them ahead. Controversy surrounded India's "Do or Die" raids, and the Indian team's defense appeared vulnerable as Iran continued to score points. However, just before halftime, India staged a spectacular comeback, all-outing Iran and establishing a four-point lead. The first-half score favored India at 17-13.

As the second half commenced, Pawan Sehrawat continued to lead the raiding charge, securing two consecutive points. However, he was tackled in the third raid. Despite Pawan Sehrawat's tackle attempt being thwarted, Navin and Aslam managed to accumulate points through their raiding efforts.

There was a lot of drama on the Kabaddi mat in the Asian Games.

In the 30th minute, Iran executed an all-out against India, leveling the score at 25-25. India held a three-point advantage in the last five minutes, but Iran mounted a comeback, tying the score at 28-28. Fazel Atrachali was absent from the mat in the final moments, but Iran persevered. However, Iranian defenders made a critical mistake during this period.

During Pawan Sehrawat's raid, he went out of bounds without touching any defender, and Iran's corner defenders also stepped out. Consequently, India gained a significant advantage in the closing moments of the match and secured the victory. Nevertheless, there was an hour-long intense drama surrounding Pawan Sehrawat's last raid, involving heated arguments with the officials. Ultimately, India emerged as the triumphant team.