Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship: Kenya Edge Sri Lanka as Scotland and Malaysia Shine
Saturday brought a full slate of action at the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship, with commanding performances in the men’s competition and several memorable individual displays in the women’s matches. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Singapore all secured convincing men’s victories, while Kenya and Scotland earned important wins in the women’s event. Malaysia then closed the day in emphatic fashion, overwhelming Nigeria with one of the largest scorelines of the tournament so far.
The day’s closest contest came in the women’s competition, where Kenya held off Sri Lanka 23-20. Lavenda Odhiambo produced a decisive raiding performance, scoring 12 points to keep Kenya ahead in a match that remained competitive until the final stages. Scotland’s Kirsty Martin was another standout, collecting 25 points in her team’s 53-36 victory over England.
Bangladesh Set the Pace in Men’s Kabaddi
Bangladesh opened the men’s programme with a 67-28 win over Canada, building a strong 33-18 advantage by half-time before extending the gap after the break. The result reflected Bangladesh’s ability to turn raids into sustained pressure, while Canada struggled to match the scoring rate.
Md Rahman and Akash Md Julfiker led Bangladesh’s attack with 10 points apiece, while Md Al-Amin added eight. Bangladesh finished with 45 raid points and inflicted five All-Outs, repeatedly reducing Canada’s defensive options and converting those opportunities into a substantial lead. Canada recorded 19 raid points but could not generate enough momentum to change the course of the match.
In kabaddi, an All-Out can have a major impact: when a team’s players are eliminated from the court, the opposition earns additional points and the dismissed players return to play. Bangladesh’s five All-Outs therefore helped turn an already strong performance into a comprehensive victory.
Sri Lanka and Singapore Record Comfortable Wins
Sri Lanka followed with a 50-28 victory over Malaysia, taking control early and reaching half-time with a 29-11 lead. Milinda Chathuranga was the match’s leading raider, scoring 16 points, while Viduranga contributed 11. Their output gave Sri Lanka a reliable source of points throughout the contest.
Sri Lanka’s attack produced 35 raid points and helped the team inflict three All-Outs. The defence also played its part, adding nine tackle points to limit Malaysia’s chances of building a comeback. The balance between scoring raids and timely defensive stops proved central to Sri Lanka’s comfortable result.
Singapore also enjoyed a strong start, defeating Scotland 50-28 after leading 31-11 at the interval. Aidil Asyraaf topped Singapore’s raiding chart with 10 points, while Aadil Senthilkumar added five raid points. Singapore scored 28 raid points and inflicted six All-Outs, applying pressure often enough to prevent Scotland from closing the deficit.
Scotland managed 11 raid points, but Singapore’s early advantage left little room for recovery. The result highlighted how quickly a kabaddi match can shift when a team combines effective raids with repeated opportunities to clear its opponent’s court.
Kenya Hold Their Nerve Against Sri Lanka
The women’s match between Kenya and Sri Lanka was far more finely balanced. Kenya emerged with a 23-20 win, with Odhiambo’s 12 raid points providing the most significant contribution to the final score. Lizzeanne Owino added three points as Kenya edged the raiding contest 15-11.
Sri Lanka stayed within reach through disciplined defending, collecting nine tackle points and keeping the pressure on Kenya through the closing stages. The narrow margin underlined the importance of each successful raid and defensive stop. Rather than pulling away early, Kenya had to protect a slim advantage against a Sri Lankan side that continued to contest every point.
For Kenya, the win was built on a combination of Odhiambo’s attacking impact and enough support from the rest of the team to withstand Sri Lanka’s challenge. In a close kabaddi match, a leading raider can create the scoring platform, but defensive resilience is often what preserves the result.
Martin Leads Scotland Past England
Scotland’s women produced a more decisive performance, beating England 53-36 after establishing a 26-15 half-time lead. Kirsty Martin dominated the scoring with 25 points, including 24 raid points, making her the match’s most influential attacker. Steele added six points as Scotland maintained its advantage through the second half.
Scotland recorded 38 raid points and inflicted two All-Outs, giving its attack the foundation for a substantial win. England collected 26 raid points and six extra points, but the total was not enough to erase the gap created before half-time. Martin’s high-volume scoring was the defining feature of the match, while Scotland’s ability to keep adding points prevented England from mounting a sustained comeback.
Malaysia Finish with a 63-8 Rout of Nigeria
Malaysia’s women closed Saturday’s schedule with a commanding 63-8 victory over Nigeria. Malaysia led 36-5 at half-time and continued to widen the margin, combining productive raids with an effective defensive effort. Darsini led the scoring with 14 points, including 13 raid points, while Dhurgadevi contributed seven tackle points.
Malaysia finished with 33 raid points and 14 tackle points, and inflicted 10 All-Outs. Nigeria found it difficult to establish an effective response against that sustained pressure. The scoreline reflected Malaysia’s control across both phases of play: its raiders regularly returned with points, while its defenders restricted Nigeria’s opportunities to build attacks.
India’s Next Matches
Attention now turns to India’s upcoming fixtures. India’s women are scheduled to face Uganda on Sunday, October 25, at 6:45 PM, followed by the men’s match against Malaysia at 8:00 PM. Both games will offer another chance to assess the teams’ form as the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship continues.
Saturday’s results showed the range of contests the tournament can produce, from Kenya’s three-point escape against Sri Lanka to Malaysia’s dominant win over Nigeria. With standout raiders, decisive All-Outs and tight defensive battles shaping the day, the championship continues to deliver plenty for kabaddi fans to follow.
