Commonwealth Kabaddi C'ship: Indian women crowned champions

India's women's team scripted history by clinching gold at the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 at Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad on Saturday. The home team secured an emphatic 35-15 victory over Uganda in the final.

Sakshi continued her point-scoring momentum for India, leading the chart with nine points, including seven touch and two bonus points. Anu Sen chipped in with six points, while captain Nidhi Sharma claimed five points. Ritu Mitharwal and Suman Sahu shone in defence with four tackle points apiece.

Nakayongo Shirat scored 11 points and was the losing team's top scorer. Uganda's strong defence was instrumental in their semi-final triumph, but the unit looked out of sorts against the Indian raiders.

The African giants stumbled under pressure in the summit clash, allowing India to inflict an all-out with three and a half minutes remaining in the first half. India were firmly on top at half-time, leading 22-7. The Indian raiders dominated proceedings, with Uganda failing to claim a single tackle point in the first half.

The hosts continued to dictate terms in the second half, shattering the opponents' hopes of a comeback. The Indian team led 20-14 and 10-1 in raid and tackle points, respectively. They also earned four extra points for two all-outs.

The Nidhi Sharma-led side received a rousing reception from the home crowd following their championship-winning performance. After the match, the Indian skipper expressed her excitement over the team's performance and thanked the fans for their unwavering support.

A total of 10 women's teams competed in the tournament organised by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI). India won the coveted gold after an unbeaten group-stage campaign, followed by knockout victories over Sri Lanka and Uganda.