India retain crown for second time over Chinese Taipei

India successfully defended their Women’s Kabaddi World Cup title with a hard-fought 35–28 victory over Chinese Taipei in the final, reaffirming their dominance on the global stage.

India first claimed the Women’s Kabaddi World Cup in 2012 by defeating Iran, and on Monday, they preserved that legacy with another spirited and clinical performance. With this triumph, India have now maintained a perfect winning record across both editions of the tournament,  six wins in 2012 and six more in the 2025 Dhaka tournament.

This victory also extended India’s unbeaten streak against Chinese Taipei in major kabaddi competitions to three matches. Their memorable 26–25 win in the 2023 Asian Games final still resonates as one of kabaddi’s most dramatic finishes. Even in the group stage of that same Asian Games, the two teams had played out a thrilling 34–34 draw, underscoring the intensity of this rivalry.

The final at Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium began with an official gesture from the Ministry of Youth and Sports Secretary, Md. Mahbub-ul-Alam, who supplied the toss coin. Chinese Taipei won the toss and sent India to raid first. Sanju Devi opened India’s account with a clean point, though Chuang Ya-han quickly responded with a bonus point. Soon after, Pooja and Sonali added points to India’s tally.

Sanju Devi delivered an early breakthrough with a powerful three-point raid, giving India their first lead. Chinese Taipei’s Yen Chiao-wen responded with a two-point raid, bringing the match level at 7–7. Momentum swung again when Chinese Taipei executed a super tackle on Pooja to move ahead 9–7.

But in the 12th minute, Sanju Devi turned the contest on its head with a four-player wipeout raid, pushing India ahead 13–12. Although Huang Su-chin kept Chinese Taipei within reach, Sanju continued her brilliance with a two-point raid that eventually led to an all-out, giving India a 17–14 advantage. They closed the first half firmly in control at 20–16.

Chinese Taipei reopened the second half with a bonus point, but India’s Pushpa responded with a three-point raid, widening the margin. As time progressed, Taipei fought hard through raids and tackles, narrowing the deficit to 25–22. However, India’s disciplined approach; led by Sanju, Pushpa, and their defensive unit, kept them ahead.

Four minutes before full time, Chinese Taipei earned a super tackle to revive hopes at 30–26. But India regained full command in the closing stages, enforcing another all-out to lift the score to 35–28, which would stand as the final scoreline.