Asian Kabaddi Championship 2023: Pawan Sehrawat’s Super 10 helps India defeat Iran 42-32 in final
Indian Kabaddi team has finally done it. They have defeated Iran in the final of Asian Kabaddi Championship to clinch their 8th title.
It was an important game of the tournament with two of the heavyweights in the world of Kabaddi going neck to neck for a second time in the tournament.
India was certainly the favorites. But nobody could have claimed them to be the outright champions. And Iran proved everyone right.
India defeats Iran in Asian Kabaddi Championship 2023 final
The match started with Iran battling India shoulder to shoulder and neck to neck. They had the early advantage in the game, and had India 3-0 in the first few minutes of the game.
The World Champions, who had fielded a second-string squad, made a comeback as the game progressed. They were able to inflict an all out on the Iranians to take a 10-6 lead towards the mid-point in the first half of the game.
India, with the likes of Arjun Deshwal and Aslam Inamdar, put on constant pressure. Deshwal, who had not performed well in the group stage encounter against Iran, managed to clinch 5 points in 2 raids.
Indian Captain Pawan Sehrawat also came into action after having caught once in his very first raid, and helped his team inflict another all-out before the half ended.
Arjun Deshwal, aslam Inamdar come to rescue
India was leading the game with 9 points at the half-time. Still, the fans and commentators knew that this was not the end of the game. In Kabaddi, a 9-point deficit is nothing, and Iran proved everyone right in the second half.
Despite being inflicted another all out in the second half, the Iranian players, led by Mohammedreza Shadlu made a great comeback into the game.
They were able to inflict the first all-out on India in the match. This brought back the deficit to just 8 points. The Indian team made some wrong decisions by removing Arjun Deshwal for Mohit Goyat and gifting easy points to Iran.
However, they rectified their mistakes and made a strong comeback in the game. It was Arjun Deshwal who clinched a crunch bonus, and later Aslam Inamdar who saved an all-out that saw India over the line.
In the end, it was India who emerged victorious by the margin of 42-32.
