Asian Games 2026: India Women’s Kabaddi Team Targets Gold Medal in Japan

The Indian women's kabaddi team is entering the Asian Games 2026 competition with a clear objective - retain the gold medal and extend India's strong record in the sport at the continental event.

Led by captain Pushpa Rana, the 12-member Indian squad has undergone extensive preparations ahead of the Games. The team has focused on analysing opponents, studying match footage and addressing weaknesses identified by the coaching staff during training.

Rana, who is taking charge of the team as captain after previously serving as vice-captain, believes the preparations have put India in a strong position ahead of the tournament.

"First of all, we practice according to the situation. We also analyse the videos of the upcoming matches. Our coaches also tell us about the shortcomings of the past and what needs to be improved. And now we are working on that. I think our team is well prepared," said Rana.

India have traditionally dominated kabaddi at the Asian Games, winning 11 gold medals overall, including three in the women's competition. The Indian women's team secured gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games after defeating Chinese Taipei 26-25 in a closely fought final.

The team also enters the Aichi-Nagoya Games after winning the Women's Kabaddi World Cup in November last year. Rana believes the success of previous generations should serve as motivation rather than create additional pressure.

"Yes, I feel that motivation. When our seniors have already done a good job, they have made their own history, so it is upto us to maintain that momentum. So, we see it as motivation, we don't see it as pressure. We are also working hard to maintain that momentum," she said.

Pooja Kajla Eyes Gold and Inspiration for Young Girls

Arjuna awardee Pooja Kajla believes India's campaign has significance beyond simply adding another medal to the country's tally. According to Kajla, success at the Asian Games could encourage more young girls to take up sport and pursue competitive careers.

"First of all, it is very important to win gold at the Asian Games. Along with that, as we talk about the girls of the cricket World Cup, there are also juniors who are very inspired by the success of Indian women in sport. So, if we bring gold, then small children get inspired by us and they will also ask their parents to let them play," said Kajla.

Kajla also pointed to the importance of the team's strength and conditioning camp, which was organised by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) in collaboration with Mashal Sports, the organisers of the Pro Kabaddi League.

The camp placed additional emphasis on areas such as recovery and sleep, helping players develop habits that can support their performance during a demanding tournament.

"They gave us a few more classes on sleep and recovery. So, I got to learn a lot from there," she said.

India Women's Kabaddi Schedule at Asian Games 2026

The women's kabaddi competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games begins on September 21. India have been placed in Group A and will open their campaign against Bangladesh.

The defending champions will then face Iran on September 23 before concluding their group-stage fixtures against hosts Japan on September 24. The semi-finals are scheduled for September 25, followed by the gold medal match on September 26.

India Women's Kabaddi Squad

Pushpa Rana (captain), Ritu Negi, Sonali Shingate, Sanju Devi, Pooja Kajla, Ritu Sheoran, Jyoti Thakur, Pinki Roy, Manisha Kumari, Bhavna Thakur, Raj Rani, Nikita Kumari