KABADDI: OFFICIAL RULES, LAWS & GAMEPLAY GUIDE

1. What is Kabaddi? — Meaning & Objective

Kabaddi is a high-intensity contact team sport played between two teams where the objective is to score more points than the opponent within the allotted time. The core of the game involves raids and defenses — attacking and stopping the opponent from scoring.



2. Field of Play — Dimensions & Lines

In standard & international kabaddi:

✔️ The court measures 13 meters × 10 meters for men, and 11 m × 8 m for women/juniors.

✔️ It is divided into two halves by a mid-line. Each team occupies one half.

✔️ Lines on the court include:

  • Mid-line 🚩: separates two team territories.

  • Baulk line: ~3.75 m from the mid-line — raiders must cross it to register a raid.

  • Bonus line: ~1 m in front of the baulk line — helps score bonus points.

  • Boundary lines: all players must remain within the boundary. Leaving out = out.



3. Teams & Players

🔹 Each team consists of:

  • 7 players on court during play.

  • Plus up to 5 substitutes on the bench.

Players specialize as:

  • Raiders — attack and tag defenders.

  • Defenders (Antis) — stop raiders and tackle them.

  • All-rounders — capable of both raiding and defending.

4. Match Duration & Game Flow

✔️ A standard Kabaddi match has two halves of 20 minutes each with a 5-minute break in-between.

✔️ The team that wins toss chooses either to raid first or to choose their side.

✔️ Teams switch sides after half-time.

✔️ Each raid is limited to 30 seconds.

5. Gameplay — Basic Rules

Raid & Cant Rule

A raider — one attacking player — enters the opponent’s half to tag defenders and must:

  1. Cross the baulk line to make the raid valid.

  2. Attempt to touch one or more defenders.

  3. Return to his own half before the 30 seconds ends.

➡️ During a raid, the raider traditionally chants “Kabaddi, Kabaddi” continuously to show they aren’t inhaling — proving the raid is done in one breath. This chanting comes from old rules but modern play monitors time more.

Defending During a Raid

The defenders’ job is to stop the raider from returning to his half by using:
✔️ Holds
✔️ Tackles
✔️ Wrestling their movement

If they succeed, the defense earns a point.

6. Scoring System – How Points Are Earned

a) Raider Points

✔️ 1 point for every defender the raider tags and returns safely.
✔️ If the raider crosses the bonus line correctly, he earns 1 bonus point.

Bonus points are only available under certain conditions — e.g., when a minimum number of defenders are present in the court.

b) Defense Points

✔️ If the defenders successfully tackle the raider and stop him from returning, defense earns 1 point.

c) All-Out / Lona

✔️ If a team manages to put all 7 players of the opponent out, it’s called an All-Out (Lona).
✔️ This gives 2 bonus points in addition to regular points.

After an All-Out:

  • All players revive and re-enter the field.

d) Super Tackle

✔️ If defense with 3 or fewer players manages to tackle a raider successfully — they earn 2 points instead of 1.

7. Player Out & Revival

✔️ A player is out when they are tagged or tackled.

✔️ Players can be revived — one revival for each point their team scores later.

This keeps the game dynamic — as scoring directly affects team strength.

8. Fouls & Violations

Fouls are actions or misconducts that break fair play rules. They include:

🚫 Holding shirt/hair or any non-limb parts.
🚫 Dangerous holds like twisting, kicking, tripping.
🚫 Stepping outside boundary lines intentionally.
🚫 Raids exceeding 30 seconds.
🚫 Coaching or signaling from outside the court.

Penalty for Foul:

  • Opponent gets 1 point.

9. Officials & Their Roles

A standard kabaddi match has:

✔️ Referee — main official.
✔️ 2 Umpires — assist with decisions on each side.
✔️ Scorer & Assistant Scorers — record points, outs, timeouts, etc.

The referees enforce rules, manage time, and settle disputes. They have the final say in judging raids, fouls, and points.

10. Timeouts & Substitutions

⚡ Each team may take time-outs (e.g., one 30-sec per half or as per tournament rules).

⚡ Substitutions are allowed from bench players, usually with limits (like 5 per match).

11. Winning the Game

✔️ The team with more points at end of match time wins.

✔️ If scores are equal — game can end in a draw or a tiebreak (depending on tournament rules).

12. Key Rule Concepts to Remember

Raid Validity

  • Raider must cross baulk line.

  • Raider must complete within time limit.

Bonus Point Conditions

  • Not always available — depends on defender count & raid conditions.

All-Out Impact

  • After a full All-Out, teams restart play with all revived.

Safety & Fair Play

  • Dangerous moves and foul tackles are penalized.

13. Modern vs Traditional Changes

Today’s kabaddi — like in international play and leagues (Pro Kabaddi League) — has:

✔️ Time clock (30s raids).
✔️ Super tackle & bonus rules.
✔️ Revised safety standards.

Older rules focused more on continuous chanting for breathing control — modern officiating focuses more on raid timers.

14. Summary of Scoring

ActionPoints
Touch & return by raider1
Bonus point1
Stopping raider1
Super tackle2
All-Out bonus2

15. Why These Rules Matter

These rules ensure kabaddi is:
✅ Fair and competitive
✅ Safe for players
✅ Exciting for spectators
✅ Standard across international play

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