M A I N   N E W S

India thrash Pak for gold

Busan, October 7
India maintained their stranglehold on kabaddi and won their fourth successive Asian Games gold medal in the event with a 37-7 drubbing of Pakistan here today in the last league match which was marred by a minor exchange of words between the two arch-rivals.

India, who have won the kabaddi gold at every Asian Games since the event made its debut in 1990, had no difficulty in prevailing over Pakistan in their first meeting in three years.

Pakistan had to settle for bronze while the silver was claimed by Bangladesh.

Dominating throughout, India led 23-4 at the half time and did not offer any chance to their opponents in the second half also where they won 14 points compared to three by Pakistan.

The winners secured four lona points in the first half and two more in the second while Pakistan could not secure any lona point.

The first half saw tempers flare-up between the players of the two countries who gathered at the centre of the court and exchanged a few words.

The incident occurred when Pakistan’s Muhammad Latif pushed Ramesh Kumar of India after conceding a point.

However, the matter did not go out of control and normalcy was soon restored as Latif apologised to the Indians.

This was India’s fifth straight victory in the round robin matches. Earlier they had defeated Malaysia, Japan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka by huge margins. PTI