New Delhi: The inaugural Kho Kho World Cup has been a stepping stone for the promising players across the world to showcase their talent and endorse the sport at a grand level. There was a grand opening ceremony held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi before India took on Nepal in a thrilling opening encounter on Monday.
The Pratik Waikar-led team managed to hold on Nepal at 42-37 after the completion of four turns with collective efforts from all members of the 12-man group. This was a fantastic opening for the game which is very fast-moving and keeps one hooked on the edge of their seat.
For the viewers, who have watched or heard the name of Kho Kho for the very first time, there is certainly an avalanche of curiosity in mind. How the game is played? What are the rules of Kho Kho? What is a Wazir? Who runs where? Don’t worry we are here to assist you.
Kho Kho rules
The indigenous Indian sport has a 12-member squad with nine playing in the main team and the other three named as substitutes. Like in every other sport, Kho Kho also has a coin toss, where the winning captain can decide whether to chase or defend. One team will chase and the other will defend
Chasing team
A chasing team is also known to be the attacking team, where a total of seven chasers are on the mat. Six of the players from the chasing team seated in the central line with each of them facing in alternate direction. There is one active chaser who goes after the three defenders on the mat to get a touch on one of them.
The chaser can run in a straight line to tap the defender and cannot change his direction (except for going around the central line). For instance, the chaser cannot move backward to chase the defender or move across the central line. A linear motion is what he or she needs to follow.
Defending team
There is a total of four batches of defender with each comprising three players in it. The defender has to dodge the chasing team, avoiding any kind of touch on them. If a batch keeps running for longer duration then they avoid conceding enough points to the chasing side.
Turn in Kho Kho
A turn in Kho Kho is a stipulated period of seven minutes. In this edition of the Kho Kho World Cup, there are a total of four turns where each team gets to chase twice and defend twice. If the chasing team manages to inflict all-out on all four batches of defenders then they can still continue to attack for the remaining time to add extra points.
Kho Kho World Cup point system
A team earns two points for tapping a defender. That way, a team can pick 24 points if they dismiss all four batches of defenders. The defending team can earn a point for dream run if a batch survives to stay on the mat for at least three minutes.
What is a dream run in Kho Kho?
A dream run is a rewarding point for the defending team where a batch of three defenders has to run for three minutes and avoid getting tapped by the chasers. One point is credited to the defending team for a dream run.
What is a Wazir in Kho Kho?
A special jersey (mostly pink colour) is donned by a player of the chasing side. That player is known to be the Wazir of the team. As mentioned above in the attacking section, a chaser can move in a straight direction. But that rule doesn’t apply to the Wazir. A Wazir can run to and fro to tag the defender, but cannot change between the central lines.
The inaugural Kho Kho World Cup in New Delhi showcased this exciting Indian sport to a global audience. This article explains the rules of Kho Kho, including the roles of chasers and defenders, the concept of “turns,” and how points are scored. We also clarify key terms like “Wazir” and “dream run,” providing a complete guide for newcomers to this fast-paced game. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
