Ultimate Kho Kho 2022: 5 exciting rules you should know about - Wazir in Kho Kho, cards & more

The maiden edition of Ultimate Kho Kho (Ultimate Kho Kho 2022) will kick-off with what promises to be a riveting double-header on Sunday, August 14. The curtain-raiser will witness the Mumbai Khiladis square-off against the Gujarat Giants at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune.

A plethora of rules and regulations will govern the premier Kho Kho league, with many perhaps unknown to fans of the sport. As viewers across the globe are introduced to a new sport, which might just become many households' reason to turn the television on at 7:00 pm IST, here is a look at five exciting and electryfing rules that will be seen implemented at Ultimate Kho Kho 2022 -

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#5 Minimum Chase

In the knockout fixtures of the tournament, if the scores are tied then the Minimum Chase rule will come into the picture along with the Power Play.

The referee will start the turn of this additional innings and as soon as the first point is scored, the turn will be closed by the referee. The time taken to score this point will be noted. The side which takes lesser time to score its first point will be declared the winner of the Ultimate Kho Kho 2022 match.

The referee shall stop the match in the second turn if the time exceeds more than thirty seconds than the recorded time of the opponents.

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#4 Power Play

The Power Play is a period in which two Wazirs can attack during their attacking turn for a particular batch. Teams will be allowed two Power Plays during each Ultimate Kho Kho 2022 match, one in the first innings and one in the second innings.

The team's coach or captain can request the referee for the Power Play either at the beginning of the turn or when an ingoing batch is moving inside the field of play during the break of thirty seconds. The Power Play can thus start with either the first batch or the ingoing batch.

The Power Play extends indefinitely until all three defenders of a particular batch are declared out or until the turn is declared closed.

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#3 Yellow Card / Red Card

If any player or team official intentionally obstructs the conduct of the game or behaves in an ungentlemanly or mischievous manner or intentionally violates any of the rules, the referee has the discretion to penalize the defaulting player or team official.

The referee can issue a yellow card, which will serve as a warning to the player or team official. If the referee decides to issue a red card, the concerned player or team official will be asked to leave the arena and will be prohibited from further participation in the ongoing game as well as the next game.

If a red card is awarded to a defender, he will be declared out and his substitute will be allowed to play in the same batch if it is yet to come or is to play again in the same turn. If a red card is awarded to an attacker, he will immediately be substituted by another attacker. Along with this, the concerned attacker/defender will be prohibited from further participation in the ongoing game as well as the next match.

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#2 Review System

Teams will have two reviews available over the course of the contest, one in the first innings and the other in the second innings. Either the attacking or the defending team can request the match officials for a review immediately within fifteen seconds of the completion of the action.

Only the team captain or the concerned attacker or defender is allowed to request a review. If the review is successful, the side will retain the right to review but an unsuccessful review will see them lose their right to take any further reviews in the innings.

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#1 Wazir in Ultimate Kho Kho 2022

Wazir will be seen in action wearing a sports bib over his jersey, contrasting the color of the team uniform, during their attacking turn. Only two rules apply to Wazir namely:

1. Crossing the Centre Lane
2. All rules when a 'Perfect Kho' is given

During the defensive turn, two Wazirs can play, but during the attacking turn, only one Wazir can play the game except in the Power Play. Wazir can only be substituted by another Wazir.

When giving a ’Kho', if a foul is committed and Wazir is in action while rectifying the foul, then all the rules of an Attacker will apply to Wazir and he will have to go in the opposite direction of the defender in action or as directed by the referee/umpires to rectify the foul. Finally, a player playing as Wazir may play as a non-Wazir in the next and vice-versa.