Just like Kabaddi, Kho Kho too is a unique Indian sport. It certainly tests the agility of a human being and with that, it is fun too. Let us know more about this unique sport called Kho Kho Game!
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kho kho information:
Kho Kho is a game played by 11 players per side in which only 9 players are allowed to play in the field. The game is more popular in the Asian Sub Continent, especially in countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Surprisingly Kho Kho is played in South Africa also.
The Kho Kho Ground Measurements
- Kho Kho playground or pitch is rectangular and it is 29 meters long and 16 meters wide.
- There are two more rectangles at each end. One side of the rectangle is 16 meters and the other side is 2.75 meters.
- There are two wooden or iron poles fixed at both ends of the field. It has a circumference of 28.25 – 31.4 cms.
- The central lane which touches the poles is 23.5 meters long and 30 cm wide in which the players sit and play.
- The height of the pole above the ground level is 120 to 125 cm whereas the diameter of it is 9 to 10 cm.
- A total of eight lanes lie over the central lane, whose dimensions are 16 m x 35 cm.
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How To Play Kho Kho
- Foremost, you’ll have to be divided into two different teams with 12 members each but not less than six members.
- One of the teams acts as the chasers, whereas the other is the defenders. Each team gets the chance to play both roles.
- A Kho Kho match consists of two innings. These two innings are of seven minutes each, that enfolds both chasing and running.
- Moving on, out of the nine players, eight members of the chasing teams sit in their respective eight squares on the central lanes in alternate directions, whereas the ninth member is the chaser and is standing at any sides of the post to begin the game.
- To kick the opponent out of the game, the members of the chasing team will have to touch the opponent with their palms. But remember, there must be no foul play involved.
- The three ways in which a defender can be expelled are as follows:
If he/she has been touched by the opponent or chaser without any foul
If he/she enters the limit a bit late
If he/she decided to go out of the limit on their own.
- Generally, Defenders enter the limit in a group of three.
- After each innings, there is an interval gap of 5 minutes. Besides this, there is also an interval of 2 minutes between the turns.
- The game can only be played for 37 minutes and not more than that.
- The game of Kho Kho can be played among all age groups and gender.
Types of Equipment of Kho Kho Game
The types of equipment required to play Kho Kho is mainly to draw a Kho Kho pitch and to draw a Kho Kho pitch or ground you will need…
- Two poles (either wood or iron)
- Metallic measuring tape
- Strings
- Lime powder
- Stopwatches
- Wire Nails
- Two rings with an inner circumference of 30 cm and 40 cm
- Stationery to record scores
- A whistle for the referee
Rules of Kho Kho
- Each team will have 12 players each but only 9 players can compete on the pitch.
- A Kho Kho match comprises of two innings.
- Each inning will have 9 minutes each in which chasing and running and turning are included.
- All the players of one team sit or kneel in the middle of the court in a row and each player sitting next to each other will see on the opposite sides of each other or in other words, in Zig Zag’s manner.
- The chasers will end in the shortest time possible.
- The player chased by the chaser will touch the nearest possible player on his/her back and say ‘Kho’ to give him a chance to chase.
- The team, which takes the shortest time to touch the player chased wins.
It may sound a bit confusing, but once you play it, the kho kho rules are really easy to understand. Kho Kho is very much part of the higher secondary school curriculum in India.
What is the match duration in Kho Kho?
Every Kho Kho team has a total of 12 players. But out of 12, only 9 players get to play on the field. A Kho Kho match consists of two innings. In a single inning, each team gets seven minutes for chasing and the other seven minutes for defending.
What is considered to be a free zone in Kho Kho?
Generally, Kho Kho is played in a rectangular field. Starting from the central lane with 8 squares there is some space left for the chasers to run around the line. Two posts made of wooden poles are fixed to limit the run around the area. They are mostly rooted in the free zone area.
What does chasing mean in Kho Kho?
While someone is playing Kho Kho, it is a must to touch the player. Whereas turning around the pole is done with one hand. The other hand is used for touching the runner. Now, chaser moves into the direction of the cross line and tries to come nearer to a runner.
What is a foul in Kho Kho?
When chasers violate any rules, it is considered a foul. Suppose, if the player only utters ‘KHO’ and does not touch a Chaser by hand – it will be a foul. Apart from that, if a player utters anything other than ‘KHO’ – it will also be deemed as foul. Last but not the least, if an attacker touches the chaser sitting in the Chaser Block nearest to the Post, and the Defender is near the Post, one must give a ‘KHO.’
Why is Kho Kho an important sport?
There are several reasons why Kho Kho is an important sport. Practising Kho Kho helps young children in being strong, motivated and enthusiastic. Apart from that, it also helps in improving flexibility and coordination. Kho Kho is a sport that helps develop team spirit and leadership skills. Someone with anxiety and stress can also be relieved by playing Kho Kho.
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