As the Kabaddi World Cup is heating up, it is a great time to do a quick refresher on some of its most popular terms. Agile players, strategies, tactics, jumps and dives, rules, technicalities, muscle, presence of mind – Kabaddi gives us all of this and much more. No wonder then that the viewership has soared for this game and the World Cup has carried on the good work of the Pro Kabaddi League.
The best part of the whole deal is that it does look like a game that will pick up more steam attracting more and more countries to adopt it, embrace it and give India, the super-dominant force in the last three World Cups a run for their money. There are many ways of scoring points in Kabaddi. But it is more than just about scoring points. It is about timing, about retaining the right players, the right moves, and the right coordination.
Let us look at seven terms that you’ll keep listening to time and again every time you witness a game of Kabaddi. Although there are quite a few tricky rules and technicalities involved with these terms, here is a brief definition of what they mean.
Cant
It is the heart and soul of the game of Kabaddi. Raiders, who enter the opponent’s court, have to chant ‘Kabaddi’ loud and clear. If they stop, they are out, which is why the continued recitation in every cycle of breath is quite important.
Super Tackle
A rule that rewards defenders, Super Tackle is when three or fewer defenders are left on court but still successfully manage to pin down the raider. The team that enforces the Super Tackle adds an extra two points to the tally, offering plenty of incentive to the defending team to try and nab a raider despite much help not being available.
Super Raid
Super Raid is that adrenaline pumping event of a Kabaddi match, when a single raider touches three or more defenders in a struggle and manages to return to his side of the court successfully, thus getting his team a big boost. Given how a raider is always outnumbered and out-powered, a super raid can only be possible with the most extreme agility, mental acuteness, match awareness and quick responses.
Bonus point
There is a Bonus Line that is 1 meter from the Baulk Line, which itself is 3.75 meters from the mid-line. The distance between Boundary and mid-line is 6.5 meters. When a raider touches his one foot inside the area between Bonus Line and Boundary (End Line), he gets an extra point. However, for the Bonus, the raider should ensure that when his forefoot touches the area inside the Bonus Line, his trailing foot should be in the air.
In other words, the raider should have his entire body in the air except the forefoot which touches the area beyond the Bonus Line. Also, this point is available only when the opponent has 6 or 7 defenders on the court, making it extremely risky for the raider.
Do or Die Raid
If raiders of a team return empty-handed twice in succession, the third raid becomes a Do or Die Raid. That means the raider has to touch at least one defender (referred to as a struggle) in the third attempt, failing to do which, he will be sent out. He could also score by going for a bonus. Basically, the Do or Die Raid forces the raiding team to go all out in the attempt to score or risk losing a player.
Pursuit
When a defender rushes into the opponent’s court with the cant pursuing or chasing a returning raider, it is called a pursuit. If done correctly, a pursuit helps the defending team pull out a surprise raid thereby ensuring a quick point.
All-Out
When all the 7 members of the team are relegated to the sitting block either by getting out through a struggle with the raider or by getting pinned down by the defenders of the opponent team during an individual raid, it is referred to as All-Out. The team that enforces the All-Out gets an additional two points to their tally after which all seven players of the other team are revived.
