Dhaka: The Taiwan women's kabaddi team triumphed over host Bangladesh in the World Cup semifinals, securing their place in the gold medal match against India.
According to Focus Taiwan, the match, held on Sunday, saw Taiwan take an initial lead of 9-8 by halftime. Utilizing strong defensive strategies in the second half, Taiwan managed to extend their lead and ultimately claimed victory with a 25-18 scoreline. Kabaddi, a fast-paced contact sport played by two teams of seven, involves players tagging opponents and returning to their side without being tackled. The match consists of two 20-minute halves with a five-minute intermission where teams switch sides.
Taiwan's coach, Tsai Wei-yang, commended his team's defensive performance, highlighting their ability to score through defense and undermine their opponents' confidence. "We aimed to build momentum in the five minutes before the game, and we did well," Tsai stated, noting that while the team was cautious when holding a numerical advantage, they often waited instead of pressing the attack.
The Taiwanese team is set to face India in the final on Monday. The two teams previously met in the kabaddi final at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, where Taiwan narrowly missed the gold, losing by just one point to settle for silver.
The 2025 Women's Kabaddi World Cup is being hosted in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from November 17 to 24.