Bangladesh made a winning start to their men’s kabaddi campaign at the 2026 Asian Games, edging South Korea 39-35 in a thrilling Group A encounter in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on Monday.
The men in red and green had to work hard for the victory, with the four-point margin reflecting the closely fought nature of the contest.
Bangladesh led 17-16 at halftime and managed to maintain their slender advantage after the break in an absorbing encounter.
The victory also provided some measure of revenge for Bangladesh, who lost to South Korea at the 2018 Asian Games and were subsequently eliminated from the competition.
The two sides did not meet at the previous edition in Hangzhou in 2023, meaning Monday’s encounter was their first meeting at the Asian Games in eight years.
Bangladesh secured two all-out points, two bonus points and one point from a super tackle in the first half. South Korea, meanwhile, earned six bonus points and a super-tackle point but failed to inflict an all-out on Bangladesh.
The contest remained intense after the resumption, with both teams securing two all-out points each. Bangladesh’s raiders, however, made the difference as they held on to their lead and secured the victory.
Bangladesh will face Chinese Taipei later on Monday in another Group A fixture. They will be looking to avenge their defeat against Chinese Taipei at the 2023 Asian Games in China.
The Bangladesh team will then play Japan on Tuesday before concluding their group-stage campaign against India on Wednesday.
The top two teams from Group A will advance to the semifinals.
Bangladesh Team
Mijanur Rahman (C), Monirul Chowdhury, Sabuj Mia, Roman Hossain, Nasir Uddin Sharif, Al Amin, Dipayon Golder, Rasel Hasan, Nesar Howlader, Julfiker Akash, Hasibul Hossain, Razu Sheikh
Coach: Md Abdul Jalil
Team Leader: Md Anwar Hossain
