Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026: India women beat Uganda 35-15 to win inaugural gold
India claimed the first women's Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship title with a dominant final win over Uganda at Veer Savarkar Sports Complex.
India women defeated Uganda 35-15 in the final of the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 on October 31 in Ahmedabad. Sakshi led India with nine points as the hosts secured gold with an unbeaten campaign.
Key takeaways
- India women beat Uganda 35-15 in the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 final.
- Sakshi scored nine points, including seven touch and two bonus points.
- India led 22-7 at half-time and earned four extra points from two all-outs.
- Nidhi Sharma captained India as the team won the inaugural women's title.
- Uganda's Nakayongo Shirat was the losing side's top scorer with 11 points.
India won both inaugural titles at the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 after the men beat Sri Lanka and the women beat Uganda in the finals at Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad on Saturday, October 31.
The women's team secured an emphatic 35-15 victory over Uganda in the gold medal match, scripting history at the first edition of the tournament. Sakshi led India's scoring 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 Uganda's top scorer.
Uganda's strong defence had been 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. India entered the final unbeaten after winning all four group-stage matches.
They began their campaign with a 73-13 victory over Malaysia and followed it with a 32-16 win against Singapore. The team then defeated Uganda 41-18 and Nigeria 38-10 to finish at the top of Group A.
India carried that form into the semi-final and beat Sri Lanka by 25 points. Uganda finished second in Group A after winning three of their four group matches. They then edged past Kenya 23-21 in the other semi-final to set up the title clash against India.
The Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship was the inaugural edition of the competition, held at Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, featuring national men's and women's teams from across the Commonwealth nations to promote the sport towards future inclusion in the main Commonwealth Games program.
India's men's team also won the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship in 2026.
The India men's national kabaddi team is governed by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), established in 1972, and is the most successful national kabaddi side in history, having secured gold medals at the Asian Games in nine out of ten editions since the sport's inclusion in 1990.
India has also won all three Kabaddi World Cup editions in 2004, 2007, and 2016, defeating Iran in each final, and the 2025 Kabaddi World Cup organised by World Kabaddi, defeating England 44-41 in the final.
Additionally, the team has won the Asian Kabaddi Championship eight times across nine men's editions.
What happens next
The 2025 Kabaddi World Cup was the second edition of the Kabaddi World Cup held under the authority of World Kabaddi. It was hosted in the West Midlands, England, during 17-23 March 2025. There were both men's and women's competitions in the tournament.
Final score and key player contributions
Team | Score | Top scorer | Defence points |
|---|---|---|---|
India | 35 | Sakshi - 9 points | Ritu Mitharwal and Suman Sahu - 4 tackle points each |
Uganda | 15 | Nakayongo Shirat - 11 points | Not specified |
Related on Apex Sports News
Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship: India women to face Uganda in title clash
Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026: India beat Sri Lanka 45-24 to reach semifinals
Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026: India starts campaign with wins in Ahmedabad
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