By Sachit Subba • Other Sports • Sep 22, 2026 05:00 AM • 196 views
Nepal carved out a memorable victory at the 20th Asian Games on Tuesday, executing a stunning tactical turnaround to edge Thailand 46-43 in a thrilling women's kabaddi match. The contest began with Thailand dictating terms on the mat. Capitalizing on early defensive slips from Nepal, the Thai squad surged ahead to claim an imposing 24-15 lead by the end of the first half. Facing a daunting nine-point deficit, Nepal needed a dramatic shift in momentum after the break.
Head coach Parbati Rai rallied the group, and the players responded with ferocious intensity. Spearheaded by stellar raiding from Rabina Chaudhary, Nepal clawed back point by point. The turning point arrived when the Nepalese attack fractured Thailand's defensive structure, enforcing two all-outs during a dominant second-half surge. Outscoring Thailand 31-19 after the interval, Nepal completed the epic comeback to seal a historic 46-43 triumph.
This gritty victory injects fresh optimism into the national contingent as other disciplines struggle to meet expectations at the Games. Meanwhile, the men's kabaddi team endured a harsh reality check earlier in the morning at the same venue, falling 58-43 to a clinical Pakistan side. With the men's medal aspirations effectively extinguished following early tournament setbacks, the women's squad carries the torch forward, proving that resilience can conquer the steepest odds on the international stage.
