India women thrash Sri Lanka 39-14, face Uganda in Commonwealth Kabaddi final

India Women reached the final of the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 with a crushing 39-14 win over Sri Lanka Women at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad on Friday, 30 October. They will meet Uganda Women, who edged Kenya Women 23-21 in a semi-final that went down to the last minute.

The title match on Saturday, 31 October is a rematch of the group-stage meeting between the two sides, which India won 41-18.

Sakshi and Nidhi Sharma put Sri Lanka away by half-time

The second semi-final was settled long before the break. India led 24-7 at half-time and never let Sri Lanka back into the contest.

Sakshi was India’s top scorer with 11 points, eight from raids and three from tackles. Captain Nidhi Sharma added 10 points from 12 raids, including two bonus points. The defence was just as sharp: Ritu collected four tackle points and Suman added three.

India finished with 21 raid points and 12 tackle points and inflicted three all-outs. Sri Lanka managed only eight successful raids in the whole match. Diluxshana was their best performer with six points, five of them bonus points, and Priyavarna produced a super tackle, but there was little else to trouble the hosts.

Speaking after the match, Nidhi Sharma looked ahead to the final. “I’m very happy, it feels really good to have reached the final,” she said. “We have played Uganda before, but they will change their strategy because it’s the second time we’re facing them, so it will be a good match.”

Uganda’s perfect do-or-die record decided a thriller

The first semi-final was the opposite of India’s stroll. Uganda led 12-9 at half-time and were 18-12 ahead with seven minutes left, but Kenya fought back hard and outscored them 9-5 over the closing stretch to set up a tense finish.

Lavenda Odhiambo carried Kenya’s challenge almost single-handed. She scored 16 raid points from 25 raids, including six bonus points, and 11 of those points came after the break. Lizzeanne Owino added two tackle points.

For Uganda, Nakayongo Shirat and Nalwoga Nahia scored eight points each. Nahia proved the game changer: she came off the bench and scored all eight of her points in the second half. Captain Nalubega Olivia contributed three tackle points.

Uganda finished with 17 raid points, four tackle points and one all-out. With the teams level on raid points, it was that first-half all-out and Uganda’s flawless record in do-or-die raids, five successful from five, that made the difference.

A rematch with India holding the upper hand

India go into the final having beaten Uganda comfortably in the group stage, and their semi-final display suggested a side in full form at both ends of the mat. Uganda, though, have shown they can hold their nerve in a close game, and Nidhi Sharma expects a different approach from them second time around.

The women’s final between India Women and Uganda Women will be played on Saturday, 31 October at 7:30 PM IST at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad.