Asian Kabaddi Championship 2023, Day 3 Talking Points: India remains unbeaten with close win over Iran; Chinese Taipei registers important wins

The host has had a horrendous tournament so far and this 50-point loss only underlines this. Chinese Taipei gets another dominant result against its name.

Korea has looked a bit listless throughout the tournament. Chinese Taipei has done well to maximise on speed and positioning to pull away in this match. Fairly easy for the side today in this final fixture of the day.

Korea’s earlier fixture vs Hong Kong was postponed for some reason. We do not have any official word on the delay or the move. Keep watching this space for updates

That’s four wins in four matches for India!

India comfortably got ahead by virtue of its raiding arsenal. Pawan Sehrawat, Arjun Deshwal and Aslam Inamdar have had a good tournament so far and that vein of form continued. Pawan rallies things in defence too and we saw him put in a tackle or two today to bolster that backline. However, this was India’s first proper test in this tournament and Iran ran them close. When Iran brought India’s lead down to three points, that crucial super tackle took the game away from the Iranians - a move that helped them peg their way back in this fixture. They know just how unforgivable that might have been from a strategy perspective. If their raiders were a little more confident and if Shadloui was more clinical perhaps in that left corner, this might have been a different game and Gholamreza, the Iranian head coach, will know that. An exciting final two days remain in this tournament. Looks like we’ll get an encore of this fixture on Friday in the final.

Was this the best game of the tournament? What a fight!

There’s time just for a last raid and Pawan wants no time for Iran to do any lucky damage. He gifts his spot with a surrender tackle of sorts to give Iran the point. The referee blows the final whistle.

Arjun Deshwal gets two touch points as the defense squanders so high up in the mat.

Nitesh, YOU STAR! Alirezza is brought down by a low block in the left corner by Nitesh. The Iranian is gutted. Is that the game?

Iran’s #9 has caught Aslam’s ankles and he’s brought down. Aslam is asking for the bonus but won’t be given. Under 2 minutes left. India’s lead down to 2 points.

Mohammad keeps running through the mid section of the Indian defense. Parvesh makes the mistake of engaging and Mohammad slips out to safety.

ANKLEHOLD by Shadloui! With under five minutes left on the clock, the Iranian packs up Pawan Sehrawat. Pawan gets a bonus to keep India’s slender lead up.

Mohammad, Iran’s #12, has a touch on either Nitesh or Arjun in the right corner. Arjun it is

Pawn gives India a bonus point

Alirezza gets a quick bonus

An over-eager number 3 in the right cover runs into Pawan who rolls back to safety. Point to India.

Aslam seems to think he has a bonus and a touch but it’s just the bonus. Iran gets the all-out points. This is the first time India has been all-out in this tournament. Tested!

Vishal Bharadwaj’s high position on the mat costs him his place as he gives away the fastest of touches.

Aslam gets a bonus point going through the right corner.

Contentious point this. Alirezza seems to think he has a touch on Pawan. Pawan dismisses it immediately and loudly but the referee sides with Iran. From the angle we’re watching, it’s not too conclusive.

Pawan gets a bonus point for India. Iran calls for a timeout

Pawan targets Shadloui in the left corner and his kick gets the man again.

Iran’s number 7 manages to draw out Surjeet who could have stayed back. The advanced tackle fails, Iran gets him. India down to two men

Down to three men, India swaps out a raider for a defender to maximise on the super tackle. Iran has two super tackles so far. Very on brand here for the men in black.

TWO POINTS. Iran’s number 12 goes on, third raid pressure. He gets Nitesh, whose anklehold slips and Parvesh who can’t get away in time.

Pawan gets a kick on Shadloui

Alirezza comes in to raid and goes for Surjeet with a kick, but Surjeet evades. Surjeet is warning his left cover to be wary but Nitin Rawal hastily charges and ends up gifting himself to the Iranian, who easily wriggles away to the midline.

Number 3 takes out number 3. Aslam Inamdar has to go after the left cover activates for Iran

Nitesh Kumar’s anklehold on Haiderali Ekrami means the Iranian goes to the bench. A point to India.

Arjun Deshwal is brought down by the Iran no.6 with a strong anklehold. Shadloui slides ahead to complete the tackle

Wonder what all the Puneri Paltan player learnt from his skipper and the OG left corner of Iran, Fazel Atrachali!

ANOTHER SUPER TACKLE. Iran says Pawan has run into the lobby without a touch. 2 points it is. PAwan has to walk to the bench

An all-round showing gives India the lead at the halftime mark. Iran’s defence has been alright, but the risk-taking has to stop when not required. Shadloui needs to step up as Iran is missing a leader to run things on the mat.

Lovely work by the three Iranians on the mat. Aslam Inamdar tries to single out the right corner and attack the left chain. One of the chain defenders, the Iran no..6, breaks away and tries to block Aslam, but he jumps out. The other chain defender stops him and pulls him back and that dangling hand looks dangerous but the trio finish the move. Brilliant from the Iranians.

Alirezza goes in with Iran a bit desperate now and Surjeet puts in a hefty frontal block. No room as the Iranian is surrounded by blue shirts.

GIFTED! Raiders (primary roles) getting involved in defence when they can just safely wait things out. Haider Ali Ekrami and their no.9 have to go

Pawan keeps things simple, gets a bonus coming on the third raid

Iran’s number 9 gets Parvesh Bhainswal, coming in on their raid raid.

Pawan Sehrawat baits Shadloui in the left corner. A crouched Shadloui attempts to get hold of his ankle but gifts a feeble touch instead. Iran lose their strongman once more.

Alirezza gets a running hand touch on Nitesh Kumar in the right corner.

Pawan, this time comes in with a multi-point raid, he takes out two Iran players to make it an eight-point lead for India. The right cover was too eager and gets an earful from Shadloui as they leave the mat

Last man, Heidar Ali Ekrami comes in for a raid, he tries hard but could only salvage a bonus as India inflicts the first all-out of the game.

Aslam with multiple touchpoints, gets two points to leave Iran stranded with the last man on the mat for them. An early all-out opportunity for India here.

Men on the man are dwindling for Iran. Gholamrezza is talking to his boys

Alirezza ventures deep into the Indian left corner hoping for a bonus. Nitesh gets a hold of his ankle while Parvesh prowls from the back to bring the Iranian down. Alirezza gets the bonus though so a point to each side.

Both nations seem to be playing on the third raid here trying to guage the opponent’s strategy. Aslam Inamdar comes in, uses some time to draw out the corners, Shadloui comes in from the left and tries to dash Aslam out, but he gets to safety in time, getting a touch too to send the dangerous Iranian off the mat.

Pawan Sehrawat can’t be kept out of the game. He goes in for an anklehold and brings down Iran’s raiding #9.

The 2-3 deficit India had a few minutes ago was the first time India trailed in this tournament so far this year

Shadloui is prowling in that left corner. He is crouched and attacks Arjun Deshwal from the corner as he goes deep in to try and score a point. Brilliant stuff.

India equalises soon enough with Pawan Sehrawat managing a bonus

Heidar Ali Ekrami gets a bonus point, officials think he has a touch first, but rescind the point

Pawan goes in India’s first raid and comes back with a touchpoint. Iran has been awarded a bonus for the first raid after a technical timeout.

A couple of empty raids from both the team and it is Aslam Inamdar who goes in for his first raid of the match and comes back safely.

Iran gets the first raid and no seven of Iran makes a mistake while attempting for a bonus and goes out of bounds to give the first point to India

India’s Pawan Sehrawat wins the toss and chose the left side of court.

Asian Kabaddi Championship 2023: Catch the live updates from day 3 where India will take on Iran in Busan on Thursday.

After two days of action at the Asian Kabaddi Championships in Busan, it is evident that India and Iran are a cut above the rest in terms of competitive experience and skill, making their first clash in the tournament a highly anticipated one.

There are reports that the Korea vs Hong Kong game has moved to tomorrow. We have no information just yet on why the tie might have moved.

Two of the weakest sides in this tournament go head-to-head in this clash. Can Hong Kong match Korea’s physicality? Will Korea make fundamental errors to cede the game? Stay with us to know more.

How about that! Chinese Taipei hands Japan its second loss of the tournament.

This has been an engaging first tie this morning. Chinese Taipei is able to settle deep into the Japan half and then lure defenders into gifting a touch point along the flanks. Engaging kabaddi thus far

Both nations going toe to toe in Busan this morning. This has been an intense encounter thus far and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top. The Chinese Taipei huddle looks like they have a plan to counter Japan’s speed across the mat. Japan needs to finds a way to solidify a bit more defensively.

India beat South Korea 76-13
India beat Chinese Taipei 53-20
India beat Japan 62-17

Chinese Taipei has looked encouraging throughout this tournament. They’ve been quick to learn and have run teams down, taking their attack head on. This will be an interesting opening encounter to start day 3 in Busan.

• Chinese Taipei vs Japan 6:30 AM
• Korea vs Hong Kong 7:30AM
• India vs Iran 10:30AM
• Chinese Taipei vs Korea 11:30AM

Defending champion India - the most successful side at the Asian Kabaddi Championship - will begin its campaign on June 27 when it takes on host South Korea in Busnan, the host city of the championship. In the day’s second game, India will be up against Chinese Taipei at 12:30 PM IST (Indian Standard Time).

India won the continental championship seven times in eight editions. Iran won it in the 2003 edition held in Kangar, Malaysia.

The four-day event marks the return of the Asian championship after a gap of six years. The previous iteration was held in Gorgan, Iran, in 2017 when India came out as eventual champions beating Pakistan 32-26 in the final.

The tournament will be played in a single-legged round-robin format with the top two teams meeting in the final on June 30.

Live streaming of the Asian Kabaddi Championship 2023 will be available on the tournament’s official Youtube channel in India. There will be no live telecast of the event on any TV channel in India.