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Korean kabaddi's semifinal hopes diminish with crushing defeats

Published: 03 Oct. 2023, 18:18 Updated: 03 Oct. 2023, 18:20

Korea loses to Pakistan 56-21 in the second Group B game of the men’s kabbadi tournament at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

Korean kabaddi took a big hit at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Tuesday, with both the men’s and women’s teams suffering losses that make it effectively impossible for either of them to advance to the semifinal round.

Korean kabaddi teams lose opening games at Asiad

The Korean men’s kabaddi team endured a crushing defeat to Pakistan, who won the match 56-21, in the second Group B game of the men’s tournament.

The women’s team followed, losing to India 56-23 in the second Group A game of the women’s kabaddi tournament.

It will be seriously difficult for either team to advance out of the group stage. The top two teams from each group reach the semifinal round.

The four men’s kabaddi Group B countries are Korea, Iran, Pakistan and Malaysia. So far, Korea is the only team without at least one win. The Korean men’s team will next face undefeated Iran in their third and final group stage game on Wednesday at 2 p.m. local time, 3 p.m. in Korea.

The women’s Group A teams are Korea, India, Chinese Taipei and Thailand. As of press time, Korea had zero wins and India, a win and a draw, with Chinese Taipei and Thailand still to compete in their second group stage game on Tuesday. The women's team next faces Chinese Taipei in their last group stage game on Wednesday at 4:50 p.m. local time, 5:50 p.m. in Korea.

Both the men’s and the women’s teams lost their opening games on Monday with the men’s team narrowly losing to Malaysia, 40-38, and the women’s team to Thailand, 43-23.

Kabaddi is a traditional contact sport originating from India. The aim of the game is for a “raider” to get to the opposing side of the court and tag out as many defenders as possible and then return to his side. However, the raider has to do so without getting tackled and while constantly repeating “kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi” so as not to draw a single breath.

On a 12.5-meter by 6.25-meter (41-foot by 20-foot) court, points are scored for each player tagged by the raider while the opposing team can earn points by stopping the raider.

The Korean men’s team started to appear as an unexpected contender on the kabaddi court in 2014, taking their first Asiad medal with bronze at the Incheon Asian Games in 2014 and winning silver in the 2018 tournament.

Korea has yet to medal in women’s kabaddi, finishing fifth in 2010, 2014 and 2018.

This year, it looks highly unlikely that any Korean kabaddi team will see the podium.

BY MARY YANG AND JIM BULLEY [[email protected]]