Bangladesh secured a place in the semi-finals of the Women’s Kabaddi World Cup after defeating Thailand 40-31, guaranteeing a medal in the tournament.
The first half saw intense competition, with Bangladesh leading 14-12 at halftime. Thailand pushed hard in the second half, but the spirited Bangladeshi raiders, led by Rupa and Shraboni, maintained control, achieving a comfortable nine-point victory.
The win gave Bangladesh six points in Group ‘A’, confirming their top-four position. Earlier, the team had beaten Uganda and Germany but lost to India in the group stage.
During the match, Shraboni Mallik sustained an injury in the ninth minute but returned after treatment. Borsha Bishwas delivered crucial raids, including two all-outs, helping Bangladesh extend their lead to 31-18 before sealing the win.
Speaking after the match, Borsha said the team had planned to beat Thailand from the group stage and was happy to see their strategy succeed. “Our focus was the Thailand match, and we gave our best. Now, our next target is the final against Chinese Taipei. We will give our maximum effort,” she said.
By reaching the semi-finals, Bangladesh has guaranteed a podium finish. The team has also achieved its pre-tournament goal of surpassing their 2012 World Cup performance, where they had finished fifth.
The semi-final berths have also been secured by 2012 champions India and runners-up Iran.