Indian Kabaddi Asian Games 2023 Results Day 9: India's Dominant Victory Over Republic of Korea

In a thrilling display of kabaddi prowess, the Indian women's kabaddi team defeated the Republic of Korea 56-23 at the Xiaoshan Guali Sports Centre in Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.

This was India's first win in the Asian Games 2023, following a thrilling tie against Chinese Taipei in the tournament opener.

In their second match, the Indian women's team staged an impressive comeback against the Republic of Korea. India dominated their opponents from the start, establishing a significant lead that grew as the game progressed. They finished the first half with a commanding 32-9 lead, a testament to their commanding performance.

Pooja Hathwala and Pushpa spearheaded India's attack, each scoring ten points. Indian captain Ritu Negi led a formidable defence that consistently thwarted the Korean raiders.

This victory gave India three points from two matches in Group A of the Asian Games 2023 women's kabaddi competition. India had drawn their first match against Chinese Taipei, setting the stage for this triumphant meeting with the Republic of Korea.

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India's aggressive approach pays off

India took a more aggressive approach to this match, hoping to gain an early advantage. They managed to subject South Korea to their first all-out assault within the first five minutes.

Pooja Hathwala, Pushpa, and Nidhi Sharma all made significant contributions with successful raids, helping India to a commanding 11-2 lead.

Although South Korea briefly slowed India's momentum and scored some points through tackles, their raiders were unable to break through India's tenacious defence. India went on to inflict three all-outs on South Korea in the first half, finishing with a commanding 23-point lead at 32-9.

South Korea started the second half with a bang, tackling Pushpa and Pooja Hathwala within the first few minutes. India's raiding duo, on the other hand, quickly returned to the pitch, determined to maintain their dominance.

As the game progressed, India asserted their dominance once more, inflicting two more all-outs on South Korea to secure a decisive 33-point victory.

With this commanding performance, India looks forward to their final group match on Wednesday against Thailand.

While a loss would not prevent India from progressing to the semi-finals, they will hope to secure first place in their group with another convincing victory. If they manage this, they can avoid a clash with defending champions Iran in the semi-finals.