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How a raid works, scoring explained, and India's record in international kabaddi
Kabaddi is a fast, physical team sport that combines tag, wrestling and strategy. Played for centuries in villages across India, it has grown into a professional spectacle and a regular Asian Games event. Its basic idea is simple: a single attacker, the raider, enters the opponents' half, tries to touch defenders and return safely, while the defenders try to stop them.
Kabaddi is widely believed to have originated in ancient India, with regional variants across the subcontinent, including hu-tu-tu in Maharashtra, chedugudu in Andhra Pradesh and sadugudu in Tamil Nadu. It is the national sport of Bangladesh and is popular in Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, South Korea and Japan.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Raider touches a defender and returns safely | 1 point per defender touched; touched defenders are out |
| Defenders stop the raider from returning (tackle) | 1 point to the defending team; raider is out |
| Raider crosses the bonus line with at least six defenders on court | 1 bonus point |
| All out (lona): a team eliminates all opponents | 2 extra points |
| Super tackle: three or fewer defenders tackle the raider (Pro Kabaddi) | 2 points |
Players who are out can be revived when their team scores points, one player per point, in the order they went out.
Launched in 2014, the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) transformed the sport with city franchises, television production, mat surfaces and professional contracts. It introduced rules such as the do-or-die raid, where a team that has had two consecutive empty raids must score on the third or lose a point. PKL turned players from rural backgrounds into household names and attracted international players, especially from Iran.
Seven players are on court for each side, with substitutes available.
When all players of one team are out, the opposing team gets two extra points, and the eliminated team's players are revived.
Not yet. It is played at the Asian Games and other regional events.
In 2014.
Kabaddi's mix of tradition and athleticism has carried it from village fields to packed arenas. With strong leagues and continental competition, it remains one of India's proudest sporting exports.
