Men’s Team Loss Created Double Pressure: Women’s Kabaddi Coach

Indian women’s kabaddi team members tackle down an Iranian raider.

(Photo: PTI)

Traditional powerhouse India returned without a gold in kabaddi for the first time in the history of the Asian Games after Iran shocked their women's team in the final to join their male counterparts in walking away with the top honours in Jakarta on Friday.

The Iranian women came from behind to shock India 27-24, emulating their male counterparts, who had shocked seven-time champions India in the semi-finals on Thursday.

After the match, India's coach L Srinivas Reddy said the men's defeat did put pressure on the team.

The men team’s defeat had come as a shock for me and the players. Somewhere it played in our minds. It created double pressure that we have to go back with a gold. The one who holds nerves win. It was a bad day for us. It’s time to prove again.

L Srinivas Reddy

Indian women’s kabaddi team react after losing against Iran.(Photo: PTI)

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"We made a good start but one miss-tackle shifted the momentum. There were some technical mistakes and defensive errors from our side. The umpire also made a mistake. In all, it was not our day. But it was a good match, it was never one-sided," added Reddy.

Iran's coach Shailja Jain, who is an Indian, said she will head back to the country with pride.

I had told them I don’t want to go back to India without a gold. I told them I don’t want any gifts but just gold. And they did it.

Shailja Jain