After a nervy first half, India produced a calm, composed and disciplined performance after the break to secure victory against a tough Iranian side.

India trailed 17-18 at halftime but bounced back strongly in the second half, tightening its defence and finding greater rhythm and aggression in attack to take control of the contest.

Iran put up a memorable fight and made India work for every point, turning the final into a gripping battle between two of Asia’s kabaddi powerhouses.

The victory marked India’s ninth Asian Games gold medal in men’s kabaddi. India has traditionally dominated the discipline, although its long-standing winning streak was halted at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, where Iran defeated the Men in Blue in the semi-final.

India regained the gold at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games and successfully defended the title in Aichi-Nagoya.

Earlier on Saturday, India’s women’s kabaddi team also defeated Iran 37-34 in the gold-medal match.

It was therefore a memorable day for Indian kabaddi, with both the men’s and women’s teams winning gold and further strengthening the country’s dominance in the sport at the Asian Games.