Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026: India and Sri Lanka Win on Day 1, Scotland's Lovepreet Brar Shines with 23 Raid Points

The first day of the Men's Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 in Ahmedabad saw Sri Lanka, India, Scotland, Kenya and Uganda register wins, with Sri Lanka topping Group A and Scotland leading Group B. Sri Lanka produced the biggest win of the day, beating their opponent 48-21 to take top spot in Group A with a score difference of +27. India opened their campaign with a 46-26 victory, a 20-point margin that placed them second in the group. No individual statistics were available for the India match. Uganda claimed the third Group A win, defeating Malaysia 45-29 with a +16 score difference. Nigeria sit fourth in Group A without having played. In Group B, Scotland impressed with a 59-30 win over Australia, powered by Lovepreet Brar's 23 raid points — the standout individual performance of the day. His 23 raid points accounted for at least 39 per cent of Scotland's 59-point total, and likely well over half of the team's raid points, indicating a heavy single-player dependence. However, the figure came against Australia, the weakest defensive side of Day 1, so it should not be treated as a definitive baseline. Kenya also won, beating Singapore 48-28 for a +20 score difference and second place in Group B. Bangladesh and Canada are third and fourth in Group B without having played. The Day 1 table is structurally misleading: teams that have not yet played rank above teams that have lost, meaning the standings carry limited predictive value. Group A has seven teams and Group B has six, creating an asymmetry in total matches played and a stronger incentive to run up the score in the smaller group, which partly explains the 89-point total in the Scotland-Australia match. Day 1 match totals were 76, 69, 89, 72 and 74. Despite the 'Commonwealth' branding, this event is not part of the Commonwealth Games programme and excludes Iran, kabaddi's second power, and South Korea, both non-Commonwealth members. India's 20-point margin over England is unremarkable by their standards, and the report does not clarify whether India fielded a senior or development squad. Several teams — Scotland, England, Canada and Australia — draw heavily on the Punjabi diaspora, whose domestic kabaddi culture is rooted in Circle Style, which may explain the defensive weaknesses seen in high-scoring matches. The report appears to be compiled from an official results or standings sheet rather than from on-site reporting, given the absence of quotes, tactical descriptions and player statistics. The real competitive picture remains unclear with Bangladesh and Nigeria yet to play.