India Men stormed into the final of the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 with a 56-27 win over Bangladesh. The India vs Bangladesh kabaddi semi-final took place at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad on Friday, October 30. As a result, India will now face Sri Lanka in the men’s final on October 31.
In the second semi-final, Sri Lanka edged Kenya 28-24 in a tight contest. Meanwhile, India remain unbeaten in the tournament. The hosts now stand just one win away from the inaugural title.
India vs Bangladesh Kabaddi: India Dominate From the Start
India asserted their dominance early in the contest. Naveen Kumar and Neeraj Narwal led the raiding effort, while Deepak S and Shubham Shinde anchored the defence. Dipayon Golder opened Bangladesh’s account with a successful raid. However, India quickly took control and inflicted the first All-Out within the opening five minutes.
Then, Bharat Hooda and Shivam Patare took over the raiding duties. As a result, India extended their lead, while Deepak S continued to make an impact in defence. With eight minutes left in the first half, the hosts inflicted a second All-Out.
India went into the break with a commanding 28-8 lead. Bangladesh, on the other hand, failed to register a single tackle point in the first half. Dipayon Golder and Md Rahman led their scoring through raids.
Bharat Hooda Leads the Second-Half Charge
India maintained their momentum after the restart. The team combined effective raiding with a disciplined defensive display and led 38-16 with 10 minutes remaining. Bharat Hooda continued to trouble the Bangladesh defence. Moreover, his raids set up another All-Out with four minutes left, pushing the lead to 49-20.
Eventually, India closed out a comprehensive 56-27 victory. Overall, the team registered 37 raid points, 12 tackle points and six All-Out points.
Top Performers in the India vs Bangladesh Kabaddi Semi-Final
Bharat Hooda led India’s scoring with 13 points. In addition, Shivam Patare contributed 11 points, and Neeraj Narwal added nine. At the back, Ajit Pawar made a big impact with five tackle points from eight tackles. Together, they kept Bangladesh under pressure throughout the India vs Bangladesh kabaddi clash.
- Bharat Hooda: 13 points
- Shivam Patare: 11 points
- Neeraj Narwal: 9 points
- Ajit Pawar: 5 tackle points from 8 tackles
Sri Lanka Edge Kenya to Set Up Title Clash
In the other semi-final, Sri Lanka held off a determined Kenya side to win 28-24. Milinda Chathuranga and Sabihan contributed six points each for Sri Lanka. Viduranga added four points, while Made Dwiki Sanjaya led the defence with five tackle points.
For Kenya, Helvic Wanjala top-scored with nine points. Samuel Wafula also chipped in with six points.
Captain Surjeet Singh Eyes the Inaugural Title
Captain Surjeet Singh reflected on India’s run to the final. He also praised the growth of kabaddi beyond India.
“It is a proud moment for us to reach the final of the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship. The team is in high spirits, and our aim is to continue this unbeaten run and win the title. With 13 countries participating, the tournament is an important step towards growing kabaddi internationally. The performances of the African teams have been particularly encouraging, and I would love to see more of these talented players get opportunities in competitions like the Pro Kabaddi League. Such exposure will help the sport grow globally and strengthen our hopes of seeing kabaddi feature at the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the 2036 Olympics.”
Surjeet Singh, India captain
India vs Sri Lanka Final: Date and Time
On October 31, India Men will take on Sri Lanka in the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 final at 9 PM IST. After the big India vs Bangladesh kabaddi win, the hosts now aim to cap their unbeaten campaign with the inaugural title.
Catch up on India’s road to the final with our coverage of the men’s 48-20 win over Tanzania. Also read how India Women reached the semifinals of the same tournament.
