The Indian men's kabaddi team secured their spot in the Asian Games 2026 final against Iran after an undefeated run. During their group-stage victory over Chinese Taipei, a hilarious viral moment occurred when a defender mistakenly tackled his own teammate.
The men’s kabaddi Group A match between India and Chinese Taipei witnessed a hilarious incident at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan on Friday, September 25. India, led by Sunil Kumar, defeated the opponent 37-21 in their opening match at Tokai Citizens Gymnasium, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
Team India, who is the defending Asian Games gold medallist, defeated Bangladesh, hosts Japan, and South Korea to finish on the top of Group A points without losing a single match and qualified for the semifinal. In the final four, the Men in Blue dominated Thailand 66-28 to secure their place in the final, where they will meet Iran.
As the defending champions, India men showcased their immense pedigree right from the start, and they are currently on the verge of winning the 9th gold medal and overall 10th medal in Kabaddi at the Asian Games.
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Chinese Taipei’s Hilarious Mistake Goes Viral
As India set to defend their gold medal when they take on Iran in the final, a viral video from their group stage clash against Chinese Taipei surfaced on social media, especially Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
In a viral clip, two Chinese Taipei defenders were seen trying to tackle the Indian raider, who was making a dash past them and escaping to safety. However, as one of the Chinese Taipei defenders managed to get a firm grip on the raider by grasping his right leg to pull him back, his rushing teammate completely misread the chaos and dove in, mistakenly grabbing his own partner’s leg.
Due to the blunder by his teammate, the Chinese Taipei defender lost his grip on the raider and eventually ended up flat on the mat with his partner, leaving the Indian raider amused by the unexpected friendly fire before comfortably making his way back to safety across the midline.
At that time, India were leading 31-17, and the match was nearing its closing stages, making the comical mix-up an unforgettable highlight of an already dominant opening victory. The blunder on Chinese Taipei's part apparently cost them crucial points, though the damage was already largely done.
Eventually, India sealed the victory with 37-21 in order to kickstart their gold medal defence in style at the Asian Games 2026.
Indian Men’s Kabaddi Team History at Asian Games
Indian men’s kabaddi team has been part of the Asian Games since 1990, the year when the sport was officially incorporated into the quadrennial multi-sport event. India has been a dominant force in men’s kabaddi in the history of the Asian Games.
Since 1990, India has gone on a historic gold-winning streak, claiming every single gold medal up until the 2018 Jakarta edition, where a bronze finish momentarily halted their unprecedented run. However, the Men in Blue made a strong comeback, reclaiming their gold medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Games.
Now, India are defending their Asian Games gold medal for the first time since their triumphant return to the top of the podium at Hangzhou. The Men in Blue, under the captaincy of Sunil Kumar, are now just one step away from cementing another golden chapter in their storied history.
Meanwhile, Iran will look to reclaim the gold they won at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, when they face India in the men’s kabaddi final and aim to deny the defending champions another gold medal.
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