Kabaddi’s scoring is easy once you know the basic types of points. Here is a simple breakdown.
Touch points
When a raider touches one or more defenders and returns to their half, the raiding team scores one point for each defender touched. Those defenders are out. If the raider touches three defenders, the team scores three points.
Tackle points
When defenders stop a raider from returning to their half, the defending team scores one point. The raider is out. This is the most common way for the defence to score.
Bonus points
A raider can score a bonus point by crossing the bonus line with a foot while the defending team has enough players on the mat. The raider must return safely to count the point. Even if the raider does not touch a defender, the bonus point still counts.
All out points
When every player of a team is out, the other team earns two extra points. The team that was all out then brings back all its players. An all out is one of the biggest swings in the game.
Super raid
A super raid is when a raider scores three or more points in a single raid. It is a powerful way to put the other team under pressure, and it often turns a match.
Super tackle
A super tackle is made when the defending team has a small number of players on the mat, and still manages to tackle the raider. In some formats, the defending team earns an extra point. It is a mark of strong defence under pressure.
Revival
Although it is not a point, revival is key to the scoring. When a team scores, one of its out players returns to the mat. The number of players on the mat changes constantly, which keeps the match open.
Technical points
Some competitions award technical points for rule breaches, such as when a team takes too long to start a raid. These are rare, but they can matter in a close match.
Putting it together
A match score is the sum of all these types of points. A team can win by a big raider, a strong defence or a clever mix of both. Once you understand the points, the scoreboard tells the full story of the game.