Kabaddi in Pakistan: circle style versus standard style, explained

Kabaddi is one of the oldest contact sports in South Asia and has a deep following in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab. But the word covers two quite different games. Understanding the difference is the key to following Pakistan's fortunes in the sport.

Circle style: the Punjabi game

Circle style, also known as Punjabi kabaddi, is the version most associated with rural Punjab, with festivals and with big crowds on open ground.

• The pitch is a circle about 22 metres across, divided by a line through the middle.
• Each team has eight players.
• Raids are one against one: a raider crosses the line and tries to touch an opponent, while the defender, often called a stopper, tries to hold him and stop him getting back.
• Unlike standard kabaddi, the raider does not have to chant while raiding.
• Players who are touched are not sent off; the team simply concedes a point and the game goes on.
• Stepping out of bounds gives a point to the other side, and two stoppers ganging up on one raider is a foul.
• A match lasts 40 minutes, with the teams changing ends at half-time.

Pakistan is one of the powers of the circle game. When the Circle Style Kabaddi World Cup was staged in Pakistan in 2020, with matches in cities including Lahore and Faisalabad, Pakistan won the final 43-41 to take their first men's title.

Standard style: the international game

Standard style is the version played at the Asian Games and in most international competitions.

• It is played on a rectangular court; the men's court measures 10 by 13 metres.
• Each side has seven players on court, with substitutes.
• A raider has 30 seconds to cross into the opposition half, tag as many defenders as possible and return, chanting 'kabaddi' throughout on a single breath.
• Each defender touched is out, and the raiding team scores a point for each one. If the defenders tackle the raider, they score instead.
• Players who are out can be revived as their team scores points.
• Clearing the entire opposing side, an 'All Out', earns two bonus points.
• A bonus line rewards raiders who reach deep into a well-staffed defence.
• Matches consist of two 20-minute halves.

Pakistan at the Asian Games

Kabaddi has been part of the Asian Games since 1990, and Pakistan reached the semi-finals at every edition from then until 2023, collecting two silver medals and seven bronze.

That proud run ended in September 2026. Pakistan opened with a commanding 65-22 win over Malaysia and also beat Nepal, but a 48-45 defeat to Thailand, after leading at half-time, and a 51-30 loss to Iran meant they missed the semi-finals for the first time.

Which one should you watch?

Both. Circle style is the heartland game, rooted in Punjab's villages and fairs, raw and physical. Standard style is tactical and fast, and it is the version that decides Asian medals. Pakistan's challenge is to stay a force in the first while rebuilding in the second.