Asian Kabaddi Championship 2023 Day 1 Highlights: India kick-off campaign with twin dominant wins

Asian Kabaddi Championships Day 1 scores (Team India):

India 76-13 South Korea
India 53-19 Chinese Taipei

Well, that wraps up our coverage for today. India with a couple of dominant wins and fans will be absolutely pleased with their performance. That's all we have for you from Day 1 of this tournament. Join us back tomorrow at 11:30 AM IST as India locks horns with Japan. Until then, this is me, Maanas Upadhyay, signing off! Le Panga!

FULL TIME! Chinese Taipei 19-53 India

Chinese Taipei have been beaten comprehensively and India have cruised to their second win on the trot. Chinese Taipei put up a good fight as they gave the Indians a run for their money initially. They displayed good skills and a few of their raiders showed some sport. They were solid in defense as well and the tackles that they did execute were solid.

India, on the other hand, got going nicely after a slowish start. They picked up the pace and put in a decent performance. Although the win was not as big as their previous encounter, they played a safe brand of kabaddi and were a touch aggressive in their approach only when needed. Credit to Chinese Taipei - they put in a good performance and have shown glimpses of brilliance in both their matches today. With some proper mentoring, they might just become a force to reckon with in the future.

40' Last raid for the Chinese Taipei side and the Indians hang back and allow the raider to take a bonus point. However, the raider did not take the bonus cleanly and it is not awarded.

40' The raider attempts a bonus point and as soon as he does that, the right corner puts in a dive to his ankles. The covers combine and pin him down, with his hand close to the mid-line.

Chinese Taipei 19-53 India

39' ALL OUT! A surrender raid as the defender pushes Mohit Goyat back over the mid line.

Chinese Taipei 19-52 India

39' As soon as the raider attempts a bonus point, Nitin Rawal and the left-in defender pounce at the ankles and tackle him.

38' Sachin gets in a hand touch on one of the defenders who was getting a touch too advance in the hopes of getting a tackle.

Chinese Taipei 19-48 India

38' The Chinese Taipei raider picks up a quick bonus point in front of the right corner defender.

36' Sachin runs across and gets in a running hand touch on the right-in defender.

Chinese Taipei 18-47 India

36' An ankle hold by Nitish Kumar and the raider uses his height to almost get to the mid-line. However, he is pulled back by the rest of the defense.

TIMEOUT has been called by a team's coach.

34' The raider turns quickly and gets in a sliding toe-touch on Nitish Kumar in the right corner. Sachin returns the favour with a toe-touch on the left cover.

Chinese Taipei 18-45 India

34' As soon as the raider attempts a bonus, Surjeet runs around with a mighty block and the rest of the defense ensure that the raider is pinned down.

Chinese Taipei 17-44 India

33' Aslam feigns a bonus point and entices the right-in defender into going for the ankle hold. Writhes his foot free and escapes.

Chinese Taipei 17-43 India

33' Sachin picks up a bonus point in front of the covers. The Chinese Taipei raiders come along and turns directions quickly to get a touch point on Parvesh.

Substitution: Mohit Goyat has been substituted in for Pawan Sehrawat.

32' ALL OUT! Surjeet runs across with a powerful block and it is as solid as ever. India inflict another all out!

Chinese Taipei 16-41 India

32' Pawan gets in a running hand touch on the right corner and Chinese Taipei are down to one man now.

31' Do-or-die raid for Chinese Taipei and the raider attempts a bonus point but fails to pick it. Has to go back to the bench in the end.

Chinese Taipei 16-37 India

31' Sachin picks up pace, runs across and gets in a running hand touch on the right corner.

Chinese Taipei make another substitution.

29' The covers run around to trap Sachin but he cleverly escapes by breaking their chain and extends his hand to cross the mid-line. Immediately after, a bonus point is picked by the Chinese Taipei raider.

Chinese Taipei 16-35 India

29' The Chinese Taipei raider slips and falls as he attempts the kick and is tackled easily.

28' Aslam Inamdar picks up a bonus point right under the right corner defender.

Chinese Taipei 15-32 India

Substitution: Sachin comes in for Arjun Deshwal.

27' An ankle hold attempted by an Indian defender is to no avail as the Chinese Taipei raider escapes back to his half.

27' Arjun Deshwal picks up a bonus point right under the nose of the left corner.

Chinese Taipei 15-31 India

26' ALL OUT! The last remaining raider is granted the bonus and ends up venturing too deep in the centre. The corners converge and trap him.

Chinese Taipei 15-30 India

26' The right corner runs across with a dash but Pawan uses the lobby well to escape. There was another defender who tried assisting and had a touch.

Chinese Taipei 14-27 India

25' As soon as the raider attempts a kick on the left corner, Surjeet runs across and puts in a solid dash to send the raider sliding out of bounds!

Chinese Taipei 14-25 India

A substitution is made by Chinese Taipei.

24' Aslam Inamdar runs across quickly as he picks up pace and gets a running hand touch on the right corner.

Chinese Taipei 14-24 India

23' Pawan Sehrawat has to depart now as the left corner chain runs around and puts in a block while the right corner attempts an ankle hold.

Chinese Taipei 14-23 India

23' Do-or-die raid for Chinese Taipei and the raider perishes! Surjeet runs around with a solid block and the raider is pinned down.

Chinese Taipei 13-23 India

22' Pawan feigns going in for the hand touch and forces the right cover to go for a dash. However, he pushes him away and returns with a point.

Chinese Taipei 13-22 India

21' Arjun Deshwal goes just a little deep in the left corner in the hopes of getting a hand touch but is tackled by a double diving ankle hold.

Chinese Taipei 13-21 India

Three second half is underway and India have chosen not to make any changes to the players on the mat.

HALF TIME! India 21-12 Chinese Taipei

Whew! An enthralling first half filled with action. India were just a tad tentative initially as the Chinese Taipei were putting up a really good fight. The score at one point read 6-5 in favour of India and it seemed that we were in for a very close contest.

However, the Indians got into their own and played some exhilarating kabaddi upto their standards and got a plethora of points on the bounce to get a sizeable lead. Going into the second half, they will want to extend it and not give Chinese Taipei any sniff at a comeback.

20' Do-or-die raid for Chinese Taipei and the raider perishes! Runs around without any success and in the end, the left corner runs around and puts in a powerful block.

India 21-12 Chinese Taipei

19' Aslam Inamdar looks to writhe his foot free from the right corner's ankle hold. The rest of the defense is across in a flash and sends him sprillaing out of bounds!

India 20-12 Chinese Taipei

18' A running hand touch from the Chinese Taipei raider and he sends back Pawan Sehrawat from the right-in to the bench.

India 20-11 Chinese Taipei

18' Naveen Kumar runs across and gets a running hand touch on the right corner. Oh dear, he is limping through and seems to be in some pain. The umpire checks in on him and India will make a substitution. Aslam Inamdar comes in for Naveen Kumar. The touch point has not been awarded. Perhaps there was no touch there after all.

16' The raider claims a toe-touch on Surjeet and despite Surjeet being confident that there isn't, the umpires award it. In the next raid, Arjun Deshwal ventures deep and gets a hand touch on the left corner.

India 20-10 Chinese Taipei

15' Surjeet runs around with a dash. The raider tries to go around him but the second line of defense is there to pin him down.

India 19-9 Chinese Taipei

15' Naveen Kumar picks up a bonus point and a back-kick on the left corner defender fetches him another point.

India 18-9 Chinese Taipei

14' The Chinese Taipei raider picks up a bonus. Writhes his foot free from Nitin Rawal's ankle hold and goes back to the mid-line.

India 16-9 Chinese Taipei

13' As soon as the Chinese Taipei raider attempts the bonus, the right cover runs around with a dash and Nitin Rawal pounces at the ankles of the raider.

India 16-7 Chinese Taipei

Chinese Taipei make a substitution.

13' A running hand touch by the raider on Surjeet is followed by Arjun Deshwal getting a swift hand touch on the left corner.

12' ALL OUT! Pawan performs the clean up act! The left corner attempts the ankle hold but Pawan writhes his foot free. Gets a touch on the other defender as well before crossing the mid-line.

India 14-6 Chinese Taipei