Bangladesh made a flying start in the ongoing Second edition of the Women's Kabaddi World Cup 2025 after beating African champions Uganda 42-22, including two lonas, on the opening day at the Shaheed Suhrawardi Indoor Stadium in the capital on Monday.
Uganda, however, put up a commendable fight in the first half. Bangladesh looked slightly defensive in the early stages, but Smriti Akter stood out throughout the match. Primarily a defender, she played a crucial role by securing important raid points at vital moments, significantly contributing to the team’s win.
It was Uganda’s first appearance on the World Cup stage. Physically, they were stronger than the hosts, but Bangladesh had the advantage in experience and tactics. Even then, Uganda stayed well within reach in the opening half, with Bangladesh holding only a narrow 14-12 lead at the break.
After the interval, Uganda continued to remain competitive. At one stage, Smriti was the only Bangladeshi player left on the court, and the scores were level. Uganda even went ahead briefly. But in a do-or-die raid, Smriti eliminated two Ugandan players, pulling Bangladesh back into the contest. From that moment on, the hosts took full control.
Bangladesh forced Uganda into two all-outs in the second half, extending the margin significantly. While Bangladesh scored 28 points after the break, Uganda managed only 10. Ultimately, the hosts sealed a dominant 42-22 victory.
After this impressive start, Bangladesh will face Germany in their second Group A match on Tuesday at 5:00 pm. Uganda will play their second match on Wednesday, against Thailand.
"We felt a bit of pressure in the beginning of the match. Since we have never played against Uganda before, it was the first time we were playing against them. Consequently, it took a little time to understand their game style. We seemed a bit disorganized at the beginning, but once we understood them, we played much better," said Mst Srity Akhter who adjudged the Player of the Match.
"The coach's instruction to us was to observe first—as they (Uganda) are playing against us for the first time—so watch their game style first and then make your adjustments," she said.
"I feel so good, it's beyond words how good I feel. We have won. We will try our best to win the remaining matches, following our success in the first match. We will win the next matches, Insha'Allah. This is my first World Cup. I am so happy to play and represent the country. I will try even harder. Together, we will all bring a medal for Bangladesh," she added.
"The Uganda team has a physical and strength advantage over us, so I wanted us to observe them for the first five minutes. I It also took us some time to settle down, that is why we were under a little pressure. We took control of the match after we settled down," said Bangladesh Coach Md Aruduzzaman Munshi after the match.
"After understanding their game (style), the players were given instructions accordingly. Success followed once they executed that plan. We received 100% support from the spectators. This kept the players 100% energized. I hope this consistency will continue and we will be able to present [the nation with] a medal," he added.
Colourful Inaugural Ceremony
Amid dance, music and vibrant festivities, the World Cup was inaugurated on the opening day with the colourful presence of players, coaches and delegates from 11 participating nations.
Thirteen years after the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 2012, the excitement surrounding this edition was palpable. All international guests expressed their satisfaction with Bangladesh’s preparations and organisational efforts in staging a global event in women’s kabaddi.
The Mirpur Shaheed Suhrawardi Indoor Stadium was adorned with World Cup posters, billboards and slogans. The crowd swayed to the rhythm of the song “Khel Khel Khel Kabaddi”, creating a lively atmosphere. Every time the invited guests took to the stage for their speeches, the galleries erupted with applause.
The galleries – filled with the cheerful voices of school and college students – came alive as Adviser to the Youth and Sports Ministry, Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan, Secretary to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Md Mahbub-Ul-Alam,International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) President Vinod Kumar Tiwari, Inspector General of Police and President of the Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation (BKF) Baharul Alam BPM, along with officials of the BKF, formally declared the tournament open.
“Kabaddi is more than just a sport for us. It is a symbol of our courage, our heritage and our national identity. For generations, Bangladeshis have grown up with this game, and now it stands proudly on the world stage. Hosting this tournament in Bangladesh feels like the fulfilment of a dream,” said Chief Guest Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan.
“Today is a proud and historic moment for Bangladesh. We are here to inaugurate the 2nd Women’s Kabaddi World Cup 2025. My heartfelt greetings to everyone present. Hosting this global tournament for the first time in our beloved Dhaka is not only an honour – it is proof of Bangladesh’s capability and determination in the world of sport,” he added.
“I warmly welcome all players, coaches and officials to Dhaka. I believe kabaddi will strengthen bonds among people and unite us. Let us make this tournament a memorable one,” said Special Guest and IKF President Vinod Kumar Tiwari.
Following the speeches, the stadium lights dimmed and a captivating cultural show began. Against a backdrop of dramatic lighting, dancers portrayed the timeless heritage of Bangladesh through indigenous and contemporary performances. Until the opening match between Bangladesh and Uganda commenced, the audience enjoyed the rhythms of traditional drums and a blend of hill, plains and folk dances.
Other Matches on the Opening Day
Nepal vs Zanzibar
Nepal also made a flying start after beating Zanzibar with a dominant 58-16 victory. Nepal effectively sealed the fate of the match, taking a commanding 23-point lead in the first half. They went into the interval with a 30-7 point lead. Nepal continued to press Zanzibar hard in the second half and added 28 points while Zanzibar managed to score only 9 points.
"This is the fifth time I have come to Bangladesh—twice as a player and three times as a coach. Today, we started with an easy win, so we are happy. I think Zanzibar is a new team, that is why they couldn't put up much resistance," said Nepal Coach Bishnu Datt Bhatt.
"We were not successful in the inaugural edition of Women's World Cup in Bihar. This time, our goal is to play in the final, and we have come with that goal. To achieve this, we will need to defeat teams like Iran and Chinese Taipei. In my view, Bangladesh is also a strong side and I have enjoyed their game immensely," he added.
Iran vs Poland
Heavyweights Iran secured a comfortable victory in their first match of the Women's Kabaddi World Cup, defeating Poland by a decisive 55-11 points margin. They dominated the first half, went to the break with 36-2 points lead.
Iran finished runners-up in the inaugural edition of Women's Kabaddi World Cup in 2012. The young Polish team offered no resistance against them, they was 'All Out' three times in the first half alone, and once more in the second half. However, the Polish team did manage to score significantly more points in the second half compared to the first half.
Iran won the match in a relatively relaxed manner, conserving their energy. Their second match of the tournament will be held tomorrow against Kenya, while Poland will face Nepal.
"It was a good match … I hope every year we have a World Cup. We thank Bangladesh for arranging such a good world cup. We have a camp for six months, we have a hard practice. We hope we did our best in the match," said Iran Captain Azadeh Saidi.
"Actually, there are two or three teams who are good, you can’t say you can win. We hope we can do our best here. Every team was amazing," said Iran player Asma Fakhri.
Chinese Taipei vs Kenya
Chinese Taipei, one of the tournament’s strongest contenders, defeated Kenya by 38-16. From the very start, Chinese Taipei dominated the match and led 20-7 at half-time, having inflicted one all-out on their opponents.
Early in the second half, the Asian Games silver medallists forced Kenya into another all-out. Maintaining the same rhythm throughout, Chinese Taipei comfortably secured the win.
Kenya will face Iran tomorrow in their second match of the tournament, while Chinese Taipei will play the following day.
“We have come to Bangladesh with the aim of reaching the final. Winning the title would be a major achievement for us. Yes, we started with a win today, but I am not fully satisfied with the team’s performance. We could have won by a bigger margin. The players made several mistakes. The hosts Bangladesh are a good team, and they also have strong potential in this tournament,” said Chinese Taipei coach Tsai Wei-yang.
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