Uganda’s Gladiators suffered their first defeat at the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 after falling 44-30 to hosts India at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on Saturday.
After opening their campaign with a 45-29 victory over Malaysia on Friday, the Ugandan men failed to maintain their winning start, with India’s defensive strength making the difference in a 14-point defeat.
Uganda matched the hosts in raiding, collecting 27 points, but struggled to make the same impact defensively. India scored 11 tackle points against Uganda’s three and added six points from all-outs, a category in which the Gladiators failed to score.
Mulaire Daglas led Uganda’s attack with nine raid points, but his efforts were not enough to prevent the hosts from taking control of the contest.
India’s Shivam Patare was their leading raider with eight points, including six touch points and two bonus points. Pro Kabaddi League star Naveen Kumar and Bharat Hooda added six raid points each, while Aditya Shinde contributed four.
The hosts also proved more effective in defence, with Ajit Pawar leading the way with three tackle points. Nitesh Kumar, Yogesh Dahiya and Deepak Sankar chipped in with two tackle points each.
The statistics highlighted Uganda’s main problem. While both teams managed 27 raid points, India made better use of its defensive opportunities to build a winning margin.
The Gladiators must now put the defeat behind them as they prepare to face Sri Lanka on Sunday, hoping to return to winning ways.
Meanwhile, Uganda’s women, the She Gladiators, face India in their next match on Sunday.
The Indian women will enter the contest in confident mood after starting their campaign with a commanding 73-13 victory over Malaysia on Friday same as She Gladiators who thrashed Singapore 61-12 on the same day.