Basic Rules of Kabaddi for New Fans

Wiki Article

Kabaddi is the national sport of Bangladesh, known in villages as ha-du-du. It needs no equipment beyond a flat court, yet it combines speed, strength, strategy and teamwork. Professional leagues in South Asia have made modern kabaddi fast and exciting to watch on television. This guide explains the basic rules of standard kabaddi so new fans can follow a match with confidence.

The court and teams

A standard men's kabaddi court is 13 metres long and 10 metres wide, divided into two halves by a midline. Each team has seven players on court and up to five substitutes. Matches are usually played in two halves of 20 minutes each for senior men, with a short break in between.

The raid

The game is built around raids. Teams take turns sending one player, the raider, into the opponent's half. The raider must chant kabaddi continuously in one breath, a rule known as the cant, in traditional formats. In many modern professional formats, a time limit of 30 seconds replaces the strict breath rule. The raider tries to touch defenders and return to his own half without being stopped.

Scoring points

• Touch points: the raider earns one point for each defender touched who is put out.
• Tackle points: the defending team earns a point if it stops the raider from returning.
• Bonus point: a raider can earn a bonus point by crossing the bonus line in the opponent's half when enough defenders are on court.
• All out: if a team gets all opponents out, it earns extra points, usually two, and the opponents return to the court.

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Outs and revivals

Players who are put out leave the court and sit in a sitting block. They can return, or be revived, when their team scores points. Revivals happen in the order players went out. This means a strong raid can bring several teammates back, which can turn a match quickly.

Lines on the court

• Midline: divides the court into two halves.
• Baulk line: the raider must cross this line in the opponent's half for the raid to count.
• Bonus line: crossing this line can earn a bonus point under certain conditions.
• Lobbies: side strips that become part of the playing area once contact is made.

Common fouls

Players cannot hold an opponent by the hair, clothing or anything other than the body and limbs. Defenders may not push a raider out of bounds without legal contact. Raiders who leave the boundary without being touched are declared out. Referees can issue technical points or cards for misconduct.

Tactics

Teams plan raids carefully, sending their best raiders when the opposition has few defenders or when a do-or-die raid is required. Defenders work in pairs, such as the corners and covers, and use chain tackles to trap raiders. The balance between attack and defence is what makes kabaddi so tactical.

Do-or-die raids

Many modern formats include a do-or-die rule. If a team has had two empty raids in a row, the third raid must score at least a point, or the raider is declared out. This rule stops teams from wasting time and keeps the action fast.

Kabaddi in Bangladesh

Bangladesh competes regularly in regional events such as the South Asian Games and the Asian Games. School and village competitions keep the traditional game alive, and many players first learn the sport in open fields before joining organised teams.

Key points

Kabaddi is played seven a side, with raids, tackles, bonus points and revivals. Learning these basics makes every match more enjoyable, whether you watch a professional league or a village game.

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