Bangladesh women's kabaddi team moved into the semifinals of the 6th Asian Women's Kabaddi Championship with an emphatic win over strong Thailand in the group final match in Pardis, Tehran, Iran, today.

After leading the first half 22-14, Bangladesh kept the momentum as the match ended 42-27 in their favour.

The semifinal berth means Bangladesh have also confirmed the bronze medal. They reached the the same stage 20 years ago and were knocked out by eventual champions India in the 2005 edition of the competition. The women in red and green however did not receive the bronze medal back then as there wasn't any provision to award medals at that stage. 

"It is a special moment for Bangladesh women's kabaddi and for me as well because I could not win a medal as a player, but I have won it now as a coach," said former captain and current assistant coach Shahnaz Parvin Maleke.

Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation's general secretary SM Shah Newaz Shohag said, "I talked to the technical director E Prashad Row, who was in charge in 2005. He told me that that time there was no provision of awarding bronze medals back then and it was introduced during the 2008 Beach Kabaddi Championship. Since then, both semifinalists in all kabaddi championships have been awarded bronze medals."

Bangladesh, were however, beaten 41-18 against Group B champions and hosts Iran later in the day evening.