Ahmedabad, 25 October (H.S.): India’s men’s and women’s kabaddi teams delivered impressive performances at the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 in Ahmedabad on Saturday, October 24, with the men defeating Uganda 44-30 and the women overcoming Singapore 32-16 at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Naranpura, Gujarat.

The Indian men produced a well-rounded performance to secure a 14-point victory over Uganda. Shivam Patare spearheaded the raiding effort with eight points, including six touch points and two bonus points. Naveen Kumar and Bharat contributed six raid points each, while Aditya Shinde added four points.

India accumulated 27 raid points, 11 tackle points and six points from all-outs during the encounter. In defence, Ajit Pawar led the effort with three tackle points, while Nitesh, Yogesh Dahiya and Deepak S secured two tackle points each. India registered 11 successful tackles, compared with Uganda’s three.

For Uganda, Mulaire Daglas emerged as the leading scorer with nine raid points, while Okidi Carnold and Sengendo Jimmy contributed five points apiece. Although Uganda matched India’s tally of 27 raid points, its defensive shortcomings proved costly as the Indian side secured a comfortable 44-30 victory.

The Indian women also produced a commanding performance, defeating Singapore by a 16-point margin. Sakshi led India’s raiding department with six points, while Renuka and Anu contributed four raid points each. Nidhi Sharma added three points to the team’s tally.

India recorded 19 raid points, nine tackle points and four points from all-outs. Suman anchored the defensive effort with four tackle points, while Muskan Sharma contributed two. Riya Kumari, Sabahi Gadhavi and Ritu added one tackle point each, helping India maintain its advantage throughout the contest.

For Singapore, Arthi Selvan was the top scorer with five raid points, while Anandarajan Sindini and M. Vishwalah Devi contributed four points each. Singapore managed to collect 16 raid points but failed to register a single successful tackle against India, highlighting the effectiveness of the Indian team’s attacking play.

The victories marked an encouraging start for both Indian teams at the inaugural championship, with their performances reflecting a balanced combination of attacking prowess and defensive discipline.

The Indian women are scheduled to face Uganda at 6:45 p.m. on Sunday, October 25, while the men will take on Malaysia at 8 p.m. Both teams will seek to build on their opening victories and maintain their winning momentum in the tournament.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar