Asian Games 2026 Kabaddi: India, Iran and Thailand Reach Semi-finals, Pakistan and South Korea Eliminated

The group stage of the men's kabaddi event at the Asian Games 2026 has concluded. Four teams have advanced to the semi-finals, and each has secured a medal. Now they will fight for a chance to play in the gold medal match. The fourth day of the event clarified the group table. In the first match of the day, Iran ended Thailand's winning streak with an 83-27 victory. In the second match, hosts Japan defeated South Korea 62-35 to end their campaign with a win. In the third match, the Indian men's kabaddi team faced Chinese Taipei and secured an easy 37-21 victory. However, Chinese Taipei kept the margin close enough to qualify for the semi-finals. In the evening session, Nepal finally won a match, defeating Malaysia 73-52. Meanwhile, Iran defeated Pakistan 51-30, completely ending their hopes of winning a medal. India finished at the top of the Group A points table with four wins in four games. They have shown dominance in their gameplay and so far remain one of the favourites to win the gold medal. Behind them in second place are Chinese Taipei. They have also secured their second consecutive kabaddi medal at the Asian Games. They have won two of their four games. Bangladesh finished third, also with two wins in four games. They missed out on a semi-finals spot by a very narrow margin due to the score difference. Japan finished fourth, also with two wins in four games. The hosts have shown a great brand of kabaddi throughout the tournament and may emerge as a top nation in the coming years. At the bottom of Group A are South Korea, who failed to register a single win at the Asian Games 2026 and finished their tournament with four losses in four games. As expected, the Iran men's kabaddi team finished at the top of the Group B points table. Like India, they have also won all four of their matches. Thailand are in second place. They have secured their first-ever medal in kabaddi at the Asian Games. They ended the group stage with three wins in four games. Pakistan finished third in Group B and were eliminated. This is the first time they will return home without securing a medal in kabaddi at the Asian Games. Nepal sit in fourth place in Group B, having secured one win of four matches; they achieved this victory on the final day of the league stage. Malaysia finished at the bottom of the points table; they failed to secure a single win during the event. The semi-final matches will now take place, where India, Iran, Thailand, and Chinese Taipei will battle for medals. India and Iran are still unbeaten and have proven themselves as strong teams. Thailand made history by winning their first medal, a proud moment for them. Chinese Taipei also secured their second consecutive medal, showing consistency. On the other hand, Pakistan's exit is a big change in Asian Games kabaddi history, as they return home without a medal for the first time. South Korea also had a disappointing performance. Hosts Japan have shown potential to emerge as a strong team in the future. Nepal got some consolation with a win on the final day. Malaysia did not win any match throughout the tournament. The semi-final and final matches are expected to be held by September 26. The gold medal match will take place on September 26. For more updates on this event, sports fans can follow various sources.