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India’s men’s kabaddi team secured a place in the semifinals of the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship with a 48-20 victory over Tanzania at Veer Savarkar Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. The 28-point win was built on productive raiding, coordinated defence and six all-outs against Tanzania, keeping the host nation’s campaign on course.
India accumulated 30 raid points, twice Tanzania’s total of 15, and consistently found ways to add to the scoreboard. Neeraj Narwal led the Indian attack with 12 points from 16 raids, including six bonus points. His contribution gave India a reliable source of scoring throughout the contest.
Naveen Kumar and Shivam Patare each finished with nine points. Naveen registered nine raid points from 11 raids, while Patare also collected nine raid points from 11 attempts. Their contributions helped India spread the scoring responsibility rather than depend on a single raider.
The six all-outs India inflicted were another decisive part of the result. Tanzania did not manage an all-out against the hosts, underlining the difference between the teams in turning individual raids and defensive moments into larger scoring swings.
India’s defensive unit supported the raiders with 10 tackle points. Shubham Shinde led that department with five tackle points, while Deepak added three and Pravesh Malik contributed two. The figures show how India combined points from raids with successful defensive stops to maintain control.
Tanzania still had a standout performer in Juma Sultania, who scored 13 points from 20 raids, including nine bonus points. His tally was a significant share of Tanzania’s scoring, but the visitors could not match India’s collective output across the match. India’s lead was sustained by contributions from several players and the pressure created by repeated all-outs.
The victory confirmed India’s place in the last four of the first Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship. The 2026 tournament is being staged in Ahmedabad from October 23 to 31, with separate men’s and women’s competitions. The men’s field includes 13 national teams, while 10 teams are competing in the women’s event.
The championship gives kabaddi a dedicated international platform among Commonwealth nations, separate from the multi-sport Commonwealth Games. Ahmedabad’s hosting role also puts the sport in front of a broader audience in a city preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
India are scheduled to play Sri Lanka in their final group-stage match on October 29. The men’s semifinals are scheduled for October 30, with the final set for October 31. The Sri Lanka fixture gives India another opportunity to build rhythm before the knockout stage, while the semifinal opponent will depend on the final group standings.
For Indian kabaddi followers, the result offers a clear picture of the team’s strengths: multiple productive raiders, useful defensive contributions and the ability to turn pressure into all-outs. The next test will be whether India can carry that balance into the knockout rounds, where one match will separate the finalists from the teams playing for bronze or finishing their campaign.
