India vs Iran, Kabaddi Highlights, Asian Games 2023: IND beats IRN 33-29 to win gold after controversy surrounding Pawan’s raid - Hangzhou updates

Iran’s men’s team coach - Gholamreza to out correspondent Uthra Ganesan in Hangzhou after the match.

We also have no idea. This is crazy. I have never had an experience like this in over 25 years in Kabaddi. Referees make decisions, and then India reviewed it. Okay. The jury said 1-1. Again referee came and redid the process and eventually the match closed for more than an hour. Referees use cards, green, then yellow and so on. Their coach, manager, and substitution players all went up to the jury table without being carded. I don’t know if that was right or wrong. It’s the referee and jury’s decision. We have rules. Referees should use the cards too.

I think the jury was very weak because I think they aren’t players or coaches. I think this is not good for kabaddi. Here it wasn’t India or Iran’s mistake but it was the referee and jury’s mistake. When you make a decision, I am firm on my decision. That’s the job given to me.

This was a new experience for me.

I don’t think it’s possible for us to protest because we can say what we want but the result won’t change.

India has a good team and they have really strong players. Their players played well. Some of our players played well too. Some of our experienced players didn’t step up as much. I know what happened on the ground. In the last one minute, it was very bad. We still had a chance to win if that decision was not changed.

I am not thinking about Iran or India. India is happy and we are sad and that’s part of the game. But what happened is very bad for the sport itself.

Although the final was tainted with bad umpiring and poor calls along with the controversy around the raid and protest after that, India emerged out to be the victorious side and ended four years of wait for the gold!

Naveen goes into the raid which will be the last of the final. He stays back and dodges the last tackle attempt to come back with a point to finally end the whole drama and win the GOLD FOR INDIA!

Alireza Mizaeian comes into the raid after the referee ruling went in India’s favour. He has been thumped down by a double thigh hold of Nitin Rawal

India gets three points while Iran has been awarded one point.

According to the rule no. 28, India should get four points.

If a defender or defenders who has / have touched the ground outside the boundary (as per rule 5), hold a raider, the raider will be declared NOT OUT. The defender or defenders who have gone out of bounds only will be declared out.

1. With just over a minute remaining in the match, Pawan Sehrawat from the Indian team was forced to go in for a do-or-die raid.
2. During his raid, Pawan went out of bounds without making contact with any Iranian defenders.
3. In response, Amirhossein Bastami and three other Iranian defenders rushed towards Pawan in an attempt to push him out.
4. This led to a moment of confusion, as it was unclear whether Pawan had been successfully tackled or not.
5. Initially, Iran was awarded a point for their efforts to stop Pawan.
6. However, the Indian contingent, including players and officials, began arguing with the on-court umpire and the TV officials.
7. After further review and perhaps another referral, the officials decided to award four points to India. It’s mentioned that the number of points could vary depending on the number of players who went out with Pawan.
8. This decision led to protests from the Iranian team.
9. The final decision seems to be based on both old and new rules. According to the old rule, India would get four (or possibly five) points, while the new rule would give one point to each team because one of the Iranian defenders (Bastami) went out of the line (self-out).

Update - The ruling has been changed, once again, and went in India’s favour but the Iran team sat in the middle of the court in protest.

And the final ruling comes. One point each to both teams!

India will get four (or five here) points according to the old rule but the new rule will give a point each to both teams as one Iran defender went out of the line (self-out).

Let’s simplify for you guys. Pawan went on the raid and slips into the lobby. He went out of bounds but without touching any defender. The Iran’s defenders followed him to dash him out. Now, the question is, should Iran get a point in defence as Pawan went out of bounds or India get four points as four defenders went out after Pawan?

There is certainly no clarity of what is going on right now. India and Iran meanwhile continue with their set of arguments. The review is still going on.

Do-or-die raid for India. India needs to get a point in the raid. Pawan has been dashed out. So Iran will get a point in defence, but Pawan says he went out of bounds without any touch, which means India might get a few points as Iran’s defenders also went out with him.

DRAMA CONTINUES!

The officials are reviewing the decision after India’s intervention.

India asking for four points, and Iran wants Pawan’s point.

The referee awards one point each to India and Iran as Pawan went out of bounds and Bastami went out of the overline. So there is a lot of confusion going on.

The old rule will get four points to India as Pawan went out without touching but the new rule will give one point each.

DRAMA CONTINUES AS IRAN PROTESTS NOW!

Just 1.51 minutes to go. The score remains at 28-28.

Another empty raid for India, this time Aslam went for the raid.

An empty raid for Pawan.

A bonus for Mirzaeian. Scores level.

Zafar Danesh gets a double thigh hold on Naveen to thump him down and get a crucial point in defence! A one-point game for India now.

A bonus point for Iran’s Alireza Mirzaeian in the raid.

Alireza Mirzaeian goes into the raid and comes back asking for a touchpoint of Naveen. India is firm as the raider did not get any touch, Iran straightaway reviews it. Turns out the review is unsuccessful as the scoreline remains the same.

Pawan goes into the raid in front of a four-man defence. He comes back with no points. Can India take this moment to induce more damage and possibly seal the gold?

Pawan gets a flying kick on none other than Fazel Atrachali to send the Iran captain away.

Shadloui goes into the lobby after attempting a touch on Nitin Rawal. The on-court decision went to Shadloui’s favour. India reviews the verdict and a point has been given to India. Chiyaneh has to go out!

Naveen gets a toe touch on Bastami to put India in the lead.

Arjun Deshwal gets a bonus but he has been thumped down as IRAN INFLICTS FIRST ALL-OUT ON INDIA! 25-25 with 10 minutes to go!

A do-or-die raid for Shadloui in front of a three-man defence. He escapes the defence to all-out the Indian defence. Wait, only two points given! India left with only one man on the mat.

Amirhossein Bastami launches himself to tackle Aslam with an anklehold.

Surjeet gets a GREEN CARD from the on-court referee this time at the sidelines.

Aslam attempts a bonus but fails to cut the white line.

Nitin Rawal comes in for Vishal and he combines with two more defenders to complete a SUPER TACKLE! Two points for India.

Naveen escapes the heavy dash of Reza Mirbagheri. He seemed to have crossed the midline but suffered an injury on the head. A bonus for India and a point in defence for Iran.

Aslam with quick footwork gets a touch on Nabibakhsh in the raid.

Naveen tags Reza Miorbagheri to get a point in the raid.

Zafar Danesh comes in the raid. Nitesh goes out of bounds to give a freebie point.

Pawan has been tamed this time by the defence. A slight adjustment from the Iran defence led by Fazel gives a valuable point to them.

PAWAN WITH A LEAP! He jumps over the defender to escape from the defence and takes a point in the raid.

Mohammadreza comes back empty-handed in the raid.

Pawan Sehrawat to raid first in the second half. He attempts a bonus and gets it with ease.

Naveen goes in the raid and gets a tag on Mirzaeian to INFLICT FIRST ALL-OUT on Iran at halftime. What a show, what a game this has been.

Fazel has been sub out by Alireza Miraeian, who will have to raid. He takes a bonus and goes back.

Pawan Sehrawat goes in front of the two-man defence of Fazel and Amirhossein Bastami. He uses his sheer power and the lobby to come back with the point of Bastami. Fazel is the lone man standing.

Aslam tackles Shadloui! The big man has been thumped down by the Indian defence. India is in the lead now!

Pawan takes two back-to-back points in the raid. The Indian captain restores parity with two touchpoints.

Zafar Danesh has been tackled by Nitesh. A brilliant team tackle for India.

Fazel holds Naveen! Naveen went too deep in the left corner and he could not escape the Fazel’s anklehold. Iran leads by three points now.

A bonus for Iran’s poster boy Shadloui.

Another point for India to reduce Iran’s lead, and it is a one-point game now.

India makes an apt substitution as well - Sunil Kumar comes in for Surjeet!

Naveen gets a tag on Milad Jabbari. Iran’s lead reduced to two points.

Zafar touches Vishal Bhardwaj in the do-or-die raid to maintain Iran’s lead.

Amirmohammad Zafar Danesh goes for a raid and comes back without a point. India says it should be a do-or-die raid. Iran says the do-or-die raid was not called. So much of argument going on from both sides! DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA TIME!

Pawan says, “The third rule should be do-or-die raid, this is kabaddi rule.“

The referee went on with a re-do. Zafar Danesh will have to raid again in the do-or-die raid. The Indian contingent is not happy at all.

Pawan gets a running hand touch to take back a point.

Wait, the officials have changed the decision to give only two raid points to Shadloui so the scoreline will read 6-9.

Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh goes into the raid and the Indian defence pounced on him but the lanky dashes his way out with how many points? Three raid points! SUPER RAID for Shadloui as he takes two touchpoints of Surjeet and Nitesh Kumar along with a bonus. Iran leads by four points now. India reduced to four men on the court.

Aslam escapes the dash from Iran’s defence to get back with a touchpoint.

Sunil Kumar has been shown a green card at the sidelines for interrupting the match.

Shadloui Chiyaneh uses his reach to get a toe touch of Naveen in the raid.

Naveen goes into the raid and asks for a touchpoint. The referees have denied him, and India also lost their review. No point.

Iran is in the lead with a point in raid.

Chiyaneh gets a point in the raid before Naveen takes back a point in his raid.

Pawan Sehrawat goes in the raid and looks for a toe touch and comes back with two touchpoints of Zafar Danesh and Milad.

Amirmohammad touches Vishal Bhardwaj to extend Iran’s lead.

Hello and welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage and scores from the 2023 Asian Games Kabaddi Final between India and Iran. Stay tuned as we bring you live updates as it unfolds in Hangzhou.