- Thousands of people attended the kabaddi match between Dabang Delhi and Telugu Titans at the Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi on August 3, 2014.
- Junho Kim for The Wall Street Journal
India’s newest professional sport, kabaddi, rolled into Delhi this week. Thousands of people turned out to watch Pro Kabbadi league teams Dabang Delhi and the Telugu Titans grapple for victory.
In the latest iteration of the traditional Indian sport, seven-player teams compete on a court divided by a midline. Player’s raid their opponent’s territory in a kind of mix between tag and wrestling.
- A Dabang Delhi raider gets mobbed by Telugu Titans during a match in New Delhi on August 3, 2014.
- Junho Kim for The Wall Street Journal
The Delhi team fell into an early deficit as several of its players were tagged out or tackled in raids.
- Telugu Titans raider Rahul Chaudhari attempts to tag members of the Dabang Delhi team during a kabaddi match on August 3, 2014.
- Junho Kim for The Wall Street Journal
The Telugu Titans Rahul Chaudhari proved to be a particularly tough challenge for the Delhi team. Chaudhari scored 15 points.
- Dabang Delhi’s Surjeet Narwal watches the feet of his opponents during a raid.
- Junho Kim for The Wall Street Journal
Dabang Delhi had a late comeback, led by raider Surjeet Narwal. But Delhi ultimately lost 39-35.
- A member of Dabang Delhi tries to tag a member of the Telugu Titans during a kabaddi match in Delhi on August 3, 2014.
- Junho Kim for The Wall Street Journal
In kabaddi, a raider crosses the midline and attempts to tag opposing players without getting tackled.
- A kabaddi player leaps into the air to avoid being tackled.
- Junho Kim for The Wall Street Journal
Raiders must be agile to avoid getting mobbed by the opposing team.
- Telugu Titans await the referee’s call after a member of Dabang Delhi touches the center line.
- Junho Kim The Wall Street Journal
If a raider is tackled, they are not out if they can touch the midline.
- Deepak Nivas Hudda of the Telugu Titans raids Dabang Delhi during a match on August 3, 2014.
- Junho Kim for The Wall Street Journal
In the form of kabaddi played in thousands of schoolyards and backyards in India, a raider must chant “kabaddi” over and over until they run out of breath. If they stop, they are out. In professional kabaddi, raids are limited to 30 seconds.
Source: Blogs.wsj.com
