Kabaddi is a traditional Indian contact sport that requires both physical strength and strategic thinking. The game is played between two teams, each consisting of 7 players on the court at a time. However, each team can have up to 5 additional substitute players, making a total squad size of 12 players per team.
The game originated in ancient India and has been played for thousands of years. It is particularly popular in rural areas and has gained international recognition through competitions like the Pro Kabaddi League. The sport requires no equipment and is played on a rectangular court divided into two halves.
During gameplay, one player from the attacking team, called the “raider,“ enters the opponent\“s half while chanting “kabaddi, kabaddi“ continuously. The raider must touch one or more defenders and return to their own half without being tackled. The defenders work together to stop the raider from returning to their side.
Kabaddi has different variations including Standard style, Circle style, and Beach kabaddi. The sport was demonstrated at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and has been included in Asian Games since 1990. Today, kabaddi continues to grow in popularity worldwide while maintaining its deep roots in Indian culture and tradition. |
