Kabaddi words · Beginner
The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.
B · Beginner · 29 words · Step 1 of 2Basic setup terms
Team
Seven players of each side are on the ground at a time. A squad is 10 to 12 players in national and lower competitions and 10 to 14 internationally, and up to five substitutions are allowed.
Court
The rectangular playing area, divided into two halves by the mid line. The standard court is 13 × 10 metres for men and junior boys, 12 × 8 for women and junior girls, and 11 × 8 for sub-juniors.
See also: Mid line
Raider
The player who enters the opponent's half with the cant to attack. The raider must begin the cant before touching the opponent's half.
Half
Each side of the mid line is a half. A match is two halves: 20 minutes each for men and junior boys, 15 minutes each for women, junior girls and sub-juniors, with a five-minute break. The last raid of each half is completed even after time is up.
Referee
The official who controls the match, declares players out and awards points. An umpire and an assistant scorer help.
Mid line
The line that divides the field into two halves.
Boundary
The lines around the field, 3 to 5 cm wide, which are part of the field. A player who touches the ground outside the boundary is out, except during a struggle while keeping contact with the field.
See also: Struggle
Lobby
The one-metre strips along both long sides of the field. They become part of the field only once a touch or a struggle has started.
Kabaddi mat
The synthetic rubber surface the game is played on, or soft soil. It is 25 to 40 mm thick.
Also called: mat
Core gameplay terms
Raid
One attacking turn. A raider enters the opponent's half with the cant to attack, and must get back to their own half within 30 seconds.
Cant
The repeated, clear chanting of the approved word kabaddi while raiding. A raider who loses the cant in the opponent's half is out.
Also called: kabaddi chant
See also: Raider, Half
Touch
When the raider touches a defender with any part of the body, even clothing or shoes, and then returns to their own half with the cant, the defender is out and the raiding side scores a point.
Also called: tag, touch point
See also: Raider, Defender, Half, Cant
Catch
When defenders hold the raider fairly and keep them in their half until the raider loses the cant, the referee whistles, or the 30 seconds end, the raider is out and the defending side scores a point.
Also called: tackle, tackle point
See also: Raider, Half, Referee, Cant
Bonus point
One point for a raider who crosses the bonus line before touching a defender or being held. It counts only when the defending side has at least six players in the half, and there is no revival for a bonus point.
See also: Raider, Defender, Half, Bonus line, Revival
All out
When one side puts all the other side's players out and none can be revived, it scores two extra points on top of the points from the raid. The out players then re-enter within 15 seconds.
Also called: lona
See also: Raid
Struggle
The contact between the raider and one or more defenders. After a touch or a struggle, the lobbies become part of the field.
Court zones and rules
Baulk line
The first line parallel to the mid line in each half, 3.75 metres from it for men and junior boys and 3 metres for women and juniors. A raider must cross it once during the raid, or be out, unless a touch or a struggle happens first.
Bonus line
The line one metre beyond the baulk line. A raider who crosses it, while the defending side has at least six players, earns a bonus point.
See also: Raider, Bonus point, Baulk line
Out
A player who is out leaves the court and sits in the sitting block. Defenders are out when a raider touches them and gets back safely, or when they touch the ground outside the boundary. A raider is out when caught or on losing the cant. Out players return as their own side scores, in the order they went out.
See also: Raider, Boundary, Sitting block, Cant, Touch
Empty raid
A raid in which the raider crosses the baulk line and gets back to their own half with the cant without scoring or losing a point.
See also: Raider, Half, Raid, Cant, Baulk line
Team roles
All-rounder
A player skilled at both raiding and defending.
Corner players
Defenders positioned at the edges of the court, often specialists at tackling raiders near the boundary.
See also: Boundary
Cover players
Defenders positioned more centrally, supporting teammates during tackles.
Match and rule terms
Golden raid
The tie-breaker in a knockout match. Each side first takes five raids. If it is still level, a toss decides who takes a golden raid, and the side that scores the leading point wins. If it is still level after both sides have had one, the toss decides.
Time-out
Each team may take two 30-second time-outs in each half. An organising committee can change the time-out rule with approval from the international federation.
See also: Half