India successfully defended their title in the Women’s Kabaddi World Cup by defeating Chinese Taipei 35-28 in an intense final held at the Shaheed Suhrawardi Indoor Stadium. This victory marked India’s second consecutive win in the tournament, following their triumph in 2012 against Iran. The Indian team maintained a perfect record throughout the competition, winning all six matches in Dhaka, replicating their performance from the previous edition.
Having now secured their unbeaten streak against Chinese Taipei for three consecutive major kabaddi tournaments, India showcased their dominance once again. In a thrilling final on October 7, 2023, India narrowly defeated Chinese Taipei 26-25 to claim the gold medal at the Asian Games. The encounter between the two teams during the group stage ended in a dramatic 34-34 draw, further highlighting the competitive rivalry.
Before the final match, Md Mahbub-ul-Alam, the Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, conducted the toss, which was won by Chinese Taipei. Opting to send India for the first raid, the game began with Sanju Devi securing the opening point, countered by Chuang Ya-Han with a bonus point. Subsequent raids by Pooja Nawal and Sonali Shingate added to India’s score, with Sanju securing a crucial three points to give India the lead. Yen Chiao-Wen’s two-point raid leveled the score at 7-7.
Chinese Taipei surged ahead 9-7 with a super tackle on Pooja, only for Sanju to turn the tide with a remarkable raid, dismissing four opponents and propelling India to a 13-12 lead. The contest remained intense, with Huang Su-chin scoring to keep Chinese Taipei in the game. Sanju’s two additional points and an all-out inflicted on the opponents extended India’s lead to 17-14 by the end of the first half, which concluded with India in the lead at 20-16.
Following the break, Chinese Taipei narrowed the gap with a bonus point, but Pushpa Rana’s three-point raid expanded India’s lead. Despite Chinese Taipei’s efforts to stay competitive and reduce the deficit to 25-22, India maintained control through strategic play by Sanju and Pushpa. In the closing minutes, Chinese Taipei attempted a comeback with a super tackle to bring the score to 30-26, but India swiftly responded by inflicting another all-out, securing a decisive lead of 35-28.
Celebrating their victory, the Indian team took a lap around the stadium, proudly waving the national flag and rejoicing in their well-deserved second consecutive Women’s Kabaddi World Cup triumph with dance and jubilation.