India clinches back-to-back Asian Games kabaddi gold, defeats Iran 40-34

India's men's kabaddi team secured its second straight Asian Games gold on Saturday in Aichi-Nagoya, edging Iran 40-34 in the final. The two sides were evenly matched in the first half, but India pulled ahead in the second to claim a six‑point victory. Earlier in the day, the Indian women's team had also beaten Iran, 37-34, replicating the men’s success. In the tournament, India topped Group A without loss, defeating Japan, Chinese Taipei, Bangladesh and South Korea. The semi‑final saw a dominant 66-28 win over Thailand. Kabaddi has featured in the Asian Games since 1990, and India has won gold in every edition except the 2018 Jakarta Games, where Iran captured the top podium and India settled for bronze. The latest triumph marks India's 13th Asian Games kabaddi gold – nine from the men and four from the women – making kabaddi the country’s third‑most successful sport at the event after athletics (85 golds) and shooting (17 golds). The current kabaddi medal table places India first with nine golds, one bronze and a total of ten medals, ahead of Iran’s single gold and three silvers. The victory reinforces India's longstanding dominance in the sport across the continent.