Pakistan’s men’s kabaddi team has been eliminated from the Asian Games after suffering a heavy 51-30 defeat against Iran in its final Group B match.

The loss ended Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the semifinals and marked the first time in the country’s Asian Games kabaddi campaign that the team failed to advance to the last four.

Pakistan entered the final group match needing a strong result to keep its knockout-stage hopes alive. However, Iran produced a dominant performance and secured a convincing 21-point victory.

The 51-30 scoreline reflected Iran’s control of the contest, leaving Pakistan unable to secure the result required to progress from Group B.

Pakistan won only two of its four group-stage matches in the competition. The results were not enough to secure a place in the semifinals.

The early elimination represents a notable change for Pakistan in Asian Games kabaddi. The national team has traditionally been a strong contender in the sport at the continental level and has regularly competed for a place in the medal rounds.

Kabaddi remains one of Pakistan’s prominent traditional team sports, with the national side having a long history of competing against leading Asian teams.

The defeat against Iran, however, brought Pakistan’s campaign to an unexpected end before the semifinal stage.

Iran’s strong performance in the decisive group match also demonstrated the level of competition Pakistan faced during the tournament. With the knockout qualification at stake, the Iranian side maintained its advantage and prevented Pakistan from making further progress.

For Pakistan, the result will likely prompt attention toward the team’s group-stage performances and preparations for future international competitions.

Winning two matches was not sufficient to secure qualification, highlighting the importance of consistency throughout the group stage rather than relying on the final fixture.

The Asian Games have historically provided a major platform for Pakistan’s kabaddi team to compete against the continent’s leading sides. The sport enjoys a significant following in Pakistan, particularly because of its deep roots in the country’s sporting culture.

The loss to Iran means Pakistan’s campaign ends at the group stage, with the team missing the semifinals for the first time in its Asian Games history.

The result will be a disappointing conclusion for the Pakistani squad, particularly given the team’s established record in previous editions of the continental competition.

As Pakistan looks toward future tournaments, the performance at the Asian Games will provide an opportunity to assess areas that require improvement, including consistency, defensive organization and performance against top-ranked opponents.

For now, Iran’s 51-30 victory has ended Pakistan’s campaign, while the semifinal stage will continue without one of the historically prominent teams in Asian Games kabaddi.