India won the Asian Kabaddi Championship 2023 after defeating Iran in the final on Friday in Busan, Korea.
Iran began aggressively, but India dominated in the crucial final. The captain, Pawan Sehrawat, assisted India in inflicting the first all-out with two touch points, bringing the score to 10-4. India maintained pressure on the Iranians and produced another all-out offensive. India led the final 23-11 at the end of the first half.
Mohammadreza Chiyaneh, an Iranian all-rounder, attempted to make a comeback for the Iranians in the second half, but they ended up conceding another all-out, trailing by 33-14. In this high-octane match, both sides gave their best, but India defended their title with a 42-32 victory against Iran.
India started the fourth and last day with some changes to their starting lineup and rested a couple of its finest players, including Pawan Sehrawat and Aslam Inamdar, from their last league game. The powerful Indian managed to inflict an early all-out. The reigning champions continued to raise the bar, making it tough for the opposition to get points. Hong Kong succumbed under pressure and by the end of the first half, India proved to be a far superior side.
Iran qualified for the final after defeating Japan 71-13 in their last league match.
This is India’s 8th Asian Kabaddi title, with Iran having won only once.