Tanzania’s Juma Sultania outscored every Indian raider, and India still won 48-20 to reach the Commonwealth semis
India’s men beat Tanzania 48-20 in Ahmedabad for a fifth straight win and a place in the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship semi-finals. Thursday’s game against unbeaten Sri Lanka should decide who tops Group A.
Oct 28, 2026
India’s men are through to the semi-finals of the first Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship, and they have one group game left to decide where they finish. They beat Tanzania 48-20 at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, 27 October, their fifth win in five games in Group A.
That leaves Thursday’s game against Sri Lanka, the only other unbeaten side in the group, as what could well be a straight fight for first place.
Narwal again, and a raider India could not stop
The margin was never in doubt. Tanzania’s 20 points came from 15 raid points and five tackle points, and they never once managed to inflict an all-out on the hosts.
Neeraj Narwal led the raiding again with 12 points from 16 raids, six of them bonus points. Naveen Kumar, a two-time Pro Kabaddi MVP, and Shivam Patare added nine raid points each from 11 raids. At the back, Shubham Shinde made five tackle points and Deepak three.
The best individual score on the mat, though, belonged to a Tanzanian. Juma Sultania took 13 points from 20 raids, nine of them bonus points. I would not make too much of that in a 28-point defeat, but nine bonus points against this defence suggests the Indian corners were letting him reach the bonus line far too easily.
Why Thursday still matters
India have 10 points from five games. Sri Lanka have eight from four and still have England to play, so they can draw level before the two sides meet.
Each team plays the rest of its group once and the top two go through.
India against Sri Lanka starts at 8:30 pm IST on Thursday, 29 October. The semi-finals are on Friday, 30 October, and the gold medal matches on Saturday, 31 October.
The women are already waiting
India’s women finished their group on Monday with four wins from four and a 38-10 win over Nigeria, and they are into Friday’s semi-finals too.
There is a real chance of a home double on Saturday. Both Indian sides have won every game so far, and the men’s team have not yet been made to look worried. Sri Lanka are the first opponents who might manage it.