Asian Games 2026 Kabaddi Day 3: India Face Bangladesh After Women Beat Iran
The Asian Games 2026 kabaddi competition entered an important phase on Wednesday, September 23, with India’s two teams facing major Group A tests at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium in Aichi Prefecture.
India’s women beat Iran 37-23 in the morning’s headline match, while the Indian men began their Group A meeting with Bangladesh at 9:45 a.m. IST. The latest independently verifiable sources available to REPORTIVA had not yet published a live score for the men’s match at the time of the latest check, so no unverified score is being reported here.
Earlier on Day 3, Chinese Taipei defeated the Republic of Korea 43-37, while Iran’s men beat Malaysia 67-33.
India women beat Iran 37-23
India produced a 14-point victory over Iran in the women’s Group A match, moving to two wins from two matches in the competition.
The result was particularly notable because the two sides met in the 2018 Asian Games final in Jakarta, where Iran defeated India 27-24. India had opened their 2026 campaign with a 42-21 victory over Bangladesh, while Iran had recorded wins over Japan and Bangladesh before facing India.
The Olympic Council of Asia reported before the match that Iran had undergone a major squad transition, with more than 80% of the team changing since the 2022 Asian Games. Iran had also prepared in India before travelling to Japan for the tournament.
India now have their final women’s group match against hosts Japan on September 24.
India men face Bangladesh
The Indian men’s team entered their third Group A match after wins over Japan and the Republic of Korea.
India defeated Japan 49-24 in their opening match before beating Korea 63-31 on Day 2. Against Korea, India led 34-14 at half-time and completed the match with a 32-point margin.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, began the tournament with two wins on the opening day, beating Korea 39-35 and Chinese Taipei 48-47. They then lost 40-37 to Japan on Day 2.
The Bangladesh match is India’s third of four group-stage fixtures. The men will finish the group phase against Chinese Taipei on September 24.
As of the latest verification at approximately 10:37 a.m. IST, a reliable current score for Bangladesh vs India was not available through the sources checked. The match was scheduled to begin at 9:45 a.m. IST at the Tokai Citizen Gymnasium.
Day 3 results so far
The opening men’s match of the day saw Chinese Taipei defeat the Republic of Korea 43-37. It was an important result in Group A after both teams had entered the match with defeats earlier in the competition.
Iran then recorded a 67-33 victory over Malaysia in the men’s Group B match. The result gave Iran another opportunity to build their points difference after their men’s campaign began with a 76-23 victory over Nepal on Day 2.
India’s women’s team followed with a 37-23 win over Iran.
Asian Games 2026 kabaddi Day 3 schedule
Day 3 features eight group-stage matches across the men’s and women’s competitions.
| Time (IST) | Event | Match | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 a.m. | Men | Republic of Korea vs Chinese Taipei | Chinese Taipei won 43-37 |
| 7:15 a.m. | Men | Malaysia vs Iran | Iran won 67-33 |
| 8:30 a.m. | Women | Iran vs India | India won 37-23 |
| 9:45 a.m. | Men | Bangladesh vs India | Underway / current score not independently verified |
| 12:30 p.m. | Men | Thailand vs Pakistan | Upcoming |
| 1:45 p.m. | Women | Japan vs Bangladesh | Upcoming |
| 3:00 p.m. | Men | Chinese Taipei vs Japan | Upcoming |
| 4:15 p.m. | Women | Chinese Taipei vs Nepal | Upcoming |
The schedule and confirmed results are based primarily on the Pro Kabaddi Day 3 live page, with match timings cross-checked against other tournament coverage.
What is at stake for India?
The group stage runs through September 24, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals on September 25. The women’s and men’s gold-medal matches are scheduled for September 26.
India’s men entered Day 3 with two wins from two. Their final group match against Chinese Taipei is scheduled for September 24.
The Indian women also entered their Iran match unbeaten after their opening victory over Bangladesh. Their next group-stage assignment is against Japan.
India are defending both kabaddi titles after winning the men’s and women’s gold medals at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2022. The Olympic Council of Asia confirmed that both Indian kabaddi teams are defending champions at Aichi-Nagoya.
What happens next
The men’s Group B meeting between Thailand and Pakistan is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. IST. The women’s competition resumes with Japan against Bangladesh at 1:45 p.m., followed by Chinese Taipei against Japan in the men’s competition at 3 p.m. and Chinese Taipei against Nepal in the women’s event at 4:15 p.m.
India’s next men’s match is against Chinese Taipei on September 24 at 9:45 a.m. IST. The women’s team faces Japan later that day at 4:15 p.m. IST.
For the India-Bangladesh men’s match, the score remains subject to live change. REPORTIVA will update this story when a current score or final result can be independently verified from a reliable source.
This story may be updated as new information becomes available.
