India’s men’s kabaddi team delivered a commanding performance to storm into the final of the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026, thrashing Bangladesh 56-27 in the semi-final at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad on Friday.
India will now face Sri Lanka in the title clash on October 31 at 9 PM, after the island nation edged past Kenya 28-24 in a closely fought second semi-final.
India dominated proceedings from the outset, combining aggressive raiding with a disciplined defensive display. Naveen Kumar and Neeraj Narwal spearheaded the raiding attack, while Deepak S and Shubham Shinde provided solidity in defence. Although Dipayon Golder opened Bangladesh’s scoring with a successful raid, India quickly seized control, inflicting their first All-Out within the opening five minutes.
Bharat Hooda and Shivam Patare further strengthened India’s attacking momentum, while the defence continued to restrict Bangladesh’s scoring opportunities. A second All-Out, with eight minutes remaining in the first half, extended India’s dominance as they went into the break with a commanding 28-8 lead.
India maintained their intensity after the restart, taking their advantage to 38-16 with 10 minutes left. Bharat Hooda continued to trouble the opposition defence, triggering another All-Out four minutes from the final whistle to make it 49-20. India eventually sealed a comprehensive 56-27 victory.
India registered 37 raid points, 12 tackle points and six All-Out points. Bharat Hooda emerged as the leading scorer with 13 points, followed by Shivam Patare with 11 and Neeraj Narwal with nine. Ajit Pawar also impressed defensively, collecting five tackle points from eight tackles.
In the other semi-final, Sri Lanka secured their place in the final with a hard-fought 28-24 victory over Kenya. Milinda Chathuranga and Sabihan scored six points each, while Viduranga contributed four. Made Dwiki Sanjaya led the defensive effort with five tackle points. Kenya’s Helvic Wanjala was the standout performer for his side with nine points, while Samuel Wafula added six.
Reflecting on India’s journey to the final, captain Surjeet Singh described the achievement as a proud moment for the team, particularly in the inaugural edition of the championship.
“It is a proud moment for us to reach the final of the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship. The team is in high spirits, and our aim is to continue this unbeaten run and win the title,” he said.
Highlighting the tournament’s international significance, Singh noted that the participation of 13 countries represents an important step towards expanding kabaddi’s global footprint. He also welcomed the encouraging performances of African teams and expressed hope that more international players would receive opportunities in competitions such as the Pro Kabaddi League.
Singh further emphasised that greater international exposure could strengthen kabaddi’s prospects of featuring in the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the 2036 Olympic Games.
With an unbeaten campaign behind them, India will now look to crown their impressive run with the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship title when they take on Sri Lanka in Saturday’s final at 9 PM in Ahmedabad.
