India Men, Women Storm Into commonwealth Kabaddi Semifinals
AHMEDABAD India’s men’s and women’s teams registered convincing victories over Nigeria at the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 on Monday, extending their winning runs to four matches at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad. The women’s team secured a dominant 38-10 victory to book their place in the semifinals. India led 24-6 at half-time before maintaining control in the second half. Anu emerged as the leading raider, collecting 11 raid points from 17 raids. Sakshi contributed four raid points, while captain Nidhi Sharma added two. In defence, Sabhai Gadhavi scored three tackle points, while Priya and Ritu secured two each. Nigeria’s Robert Moses led their raiding effort with six points, but the Indian defence restricted their scoring opportunities. The men’s team completed a double for India with a 50-23 win over Nigeria. They established a commanding 25-7 lead at half-time and maintained their advantage throughout the contest. Sachin led India’s raiders with 12 points, followed by Aditya Shinde with 11. Pankaj Mohite contributed eight raid points and two tackle points, while Surjeet Narwal recorded four tackle points in defence. Nigeria improved after the break but could not overcome India’s substantial lead. India’s women will face the second-placed team from Group B in the semifinals on Friday, October 30. The men’s team are scheduled to face Tanzania on Tuesday, October 27, as both sides continue their campaign in the championship.
