Key Points

Basketball was invented by Dr. James Naismith in 1891 in the USA. It is a team game played between two teams of five players each, with the objective of shooting a ball through a hoop 10 feet high.

The international governing body is FIBA (Federation Internationale de Basketball), and in India, it is the BFI (Basketball Federation of India). A game consists of four periods of 10 minutes each.

Cricket is played between two teams of 11 players using a bat and ball. The central playing area, known as the pitch, is 22 yards (20.12 meters) long.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the world governing body, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) governs it in India. The primary objective is to score more runs than the opposing team, with runs scored by hitting the ball and running between wickets.

Football, also known as soccer, is played by two teams of 11 players. The international governing body is FIFA (Federation International de Football Association), founded in 1904.

A standard match consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. For international matches, the field of play is typically between 100 to 110 meters in length and 64 to 75 meters in width.

Handball is played on a 40m x 20m court with seven players per team (six court players and one goalkeeper). A player is allowed to run with the ball for a maximum of three steps and hold it for a maximum of three seconds.

A goal is scored when the ball completely crosses the goal line. Players are not allowed to enter the goal area (marked by a 6-meter line), and free throws are often taken from the broken 9-meter line.

Field hockey is played by two teams of 11 players on a rectangular field measuring 91.40m x 55m. A goal can only be scored if the ball is touched by an attacker's stick inside the shooting circle (the 'D').

An international hockey match consists of four quarters of 15 minutes each. A penalty corner is a key set-piece awarded for certain fouls by the defending team within their 23-meter area.

Kabaddi is an indigenous game of India, played between two teams of seven players. The objective for a 'raider' is to enter the opponent's half, tag defenders, and return safely while chanting 'Kabaddi'.

A team scores one point for each opponent put out. When a team manages to put out the entire opposing team, it scores a 'Lona' and is awarded two extra points.

Kho-Kho is an Indian game of 'run and chase' played by two teams of 12 players, with 9 playing at a time. It involves a 'chasing' team trying to tag members of the 'running' team in the shortest time possible.

Eight members of the chasing team sit in a central lane, while the ninth is an active chaser. The active chaser can pass the chase to a seated teammate by touching their back and shouting 'Kho'.

Volleyball was invented in 1895 by William G. Morgan and was originally called 'Mintonette'. It is played on an 18m x 9m court divided by a net, with six players on each side.

Volleyball uses a rally point system, where a point is scored on every rally. A 'Libero' is a specialized defensive player who wears a different colored jersey and has restrictions on attacking and serving.