Kabaddi is simple to describe and thrilling to watch. Two teams, a raider, a wall of defenders and a few seconds in which everything can change. Here is how the game works.
The setup
Each team has seven players on the mat at a time, with a few substitutes waiting. A match is played in two halves of 20 minutes, with a short break. The mat is divided in half by a centre line, with each team defending one side.
The raid
Teams take turns sending one player, the raider, into the opponent’s half. The raider has 30 seconds to touch as many defenders as possible and get back across the centre line. Every defender touched is out, and each one earns the raiding team a point.
Raiders must do this while repeating the word “kabaddi” in a single breath. In the professional game, the rules around chanting have been relaxed, but the 30-second clock still adds pressure.
The tackle
Defenders try to stop the raider from returning. They can grab, hold and tackle, and if they stop the raider reaching the centre line before the 30 seconds end, the raider is out, and the defending team scores a point.
The defenders work as a unit. They link hands to form chains, and move together to trap the raider in a corner.
Coming back to life
Players who are out leave the mat, but they are not out forever. Each time a team scores a point, one of its players who is out returns. This keeps the game flowing, and makes every point matter.
The special moments
An all out happens when every player on one team is out. The other team gets bonus points, and the team that was all out returns to full strength.
A do-or-die raid happens when a team has failed to score in two raids in a row. On the third raid, the raider must score or be out. It is one of the most tense moments in the game.
A bonus point can be scored when a raider crosses a bonus line, if enough defenders are on the mat. It rewards skilful footwork.
The roles
Raiders are the attackers. They need speed, agility and nerve. Defenders include corners, who guard the sides, and covers, who work behind them. Some players are all-rounders, who raid and defend.
Why it grips fans
Kabaddi is fast, physical and quick to follow. A single raid lasts seconds, and the outcome can swing a match. The best raiders dance around defenders like matadors, and the best defenders move like a single wall.
If you are new to the sport, watch a few raids and the pattern will become clear. After that, you will find it hard to look away.