The basics
Seven a side. One breath. Get in, get a touch, get out.
Kabaddi is a contact team sport played between two teams of seven on a rectangular mat divided by a mid-line. Teams take turns sending a single player — the raider — into the opposition half.
The raider’s job is to touch as many defenders as possible and return to their own half without being tackled. Every defender touched is out and a point to the raiding team. If the defenders hold the raider down until the raid ends, the raider is out and the defending team scores instead. Players who are out return when their team scores — and if a whole team is wiped out, that’s an all-out worth extra points.
What makes it different: the raider must complete the raid in a limited time (30 seconds in MPKL), and traditionally chants “kabaddi, kabaddi” throughout to prove a single breath. Fast, physical, tactical — and every raid is a mini-drama.
A raid in four beats
How a raid works
01
The raider crosses
One raider enters the opposition half. The raid clock starts. The raider must at least cross the baulk line for the raid to count.
02
The touch
Hand, foot, toe — any touch on a defender counts. Cross the bonus line with defenders on the mat and there’s an extra point on offer.
03
The tackle
Defenders work in chains and traps — ankle holds, thigh holds, blocks, the dash. Stop the raider getting home and the defence scores.
04
Home safe
Get any part of the body back across the mid-line and every defender touched is out. Points on the board — and the roles switch.
Scoring
How points are won
| Play | Points |
|---|---|
| Touch on a defender (per defender) | 1 |
| Bonus line crossed (six or more defenders on the mat) | 1 |
| Successful tackle on the raider | 1 |
| Super tackle (three or fewer defenders on the mat) | 2 |
| Super raid (three or more points in one raid) | 3+ |
| All-out (entire opposition team eliminated) | 2 extra |
| Empty raid — no touch, no bonus | 0 |
| Do-or-die raid failed (third consecutive empty raid) | 1 to the defence |
Match format
The MPKL match
7 v 7
Players on the mat, with five substitutes per team
2 × 20
Minutes per half, with a five-minute break at half-time
30s
Raid clock — the raider must return before it runs out
13 × 10m
Playing mat, split by the mid-line into two halves
Raids alternate between the teams. Teams change ends at half-time. If scores are level at full time in a knockout match, the tie is decided by a tie-breaker series of raids.
Talk kabaddi
The terminology
Raider
The attacking player who crosses into the opposition half to score by touching defenders.
Defender / anti
The seven players trying to stop the raider from returning home.
Mid-line
Divides the mat in two. The raider must cross it to raid and re-cross it to score.
Baulk line
The line the raider must cross for the raid to count. Fail to reach it and the raid is void.
Bonus line
Deeper than the baulk line. Cross it with six or more defenders on the mat for a bonus point.
Lobby
The side strips of the mat. Out of play until the raider makes a touch, then live for both sides.
Super raid
A raid that wins three or more points — touches and bonus combined.
Super tackle
A tackle made with three or fewer defenders on the mat. Worth two points instead of one.
All-out
When every player on a team is out. The opposition gains two extra points and the whole team returns.
Do-or-die raid
After two empty raids, the third must score. Fail and the raider is out.
Revival
Every point scored brings one eliminated teammate back on to the mat, in the order they went out.
Chain tackle
Defenders link hands to form a wall, then close on the raider together.