Cricket guides

Plain-English cricket guides: how to read a scorecard, formats explained, ways to get out, net run rate, the DLS method, player stats and ICC rankings.

  • How to Read a Cricket Scorecard: A cricket scorecard lists each batter's runs and balls faced, how they got out, then each bowler's overs, maidens, runs conceded and wickets. Extras, the team total and the fall of wickets complete the picture.
  • Cricket Formats Explained: Test, ODI, T20 and More: Cricket is played in formats that range from a single innings of 10 overs to five-day Test matches. The main international formats are Test, One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I).
  • Ways to Get Out in Cricket: Every Type of Dismissal: The Laws of Cricket list nine ways a batter can be out: bowled, caught, leg before wicket (LBW), run out, stumped, hit wicket, timed out, obstructing the field and hit the ball twice.
  • Net Run Rate (NRR) Explained with an Example: Net run rate (NRR) is a team's average runs scored per over minus its average runs conceded per over. It breaks ties between teams level on points in limited-overs tournaments.
  • The DLS Method Explained: How Rain-Affected Targets Are Set: The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method sets a revised target in a rain-affected limited-overs match by comparing the batting resources each side had, which depend on overs and wickets in hand.
  • Batting and Bowling Statistics Explained: Average, Strike Rate, Economy: Batting average is runs per dismissal and strike rate is runs per 100 balls. For bowlers, average is runs per wicket, economy is runs per over and strike rate is balls per wicket.
  • How ICC Team Rankings Work: The ICC ranks national teams separately in Test, ODI and T20I cricket, for men and women. Each team has a rating based on its results, adjusted for the strength of opponents.
  • Cricket Leagues Around the World: IPL, BBL, PSL, The Hundred and More: Franchise leagues such as the IPL, BBL, PSL, CPL, SA20, ILT20, MLC and The Hundred are mostly played in the T20 format, with The Hundred as the main exception, using 100-ball innings.
  • Women's Cricket Explained: Formats, Tournaments and Leagues: Women's cricket follows the same Laws of Cricket and the same Test, ODI and T20I formats as the men's game. Its main events are the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup, the ICC Women's T20 World Cup and franchise leagues such as the WBBL and WPL.
  • Women's Cricket Records and Milestones Explained: Women's cricket records include the first Test in 1934, the first World Cup in 1973, Belinda Clark's 229 not out in an ODI and Kiran Baluch's 242 in a Test. Records can be broken, so check the ICC for current figures.
  • How Cricket Records Are Counted: Formats, Levels and Fine Print: Cricket records are always tied to a format and a level of match: Test, ODI, T20I, first-class, List A or T20. A record in one is not comparable to another, and men's and women's records are kept separately.
  • Famous Cricket Batting Records Explained: Famous batting records include Brian Lara's 400 not out in a Test, Don Bradman's Test average of 99.94, Sachin Tendulkar's 100 international centuries, Rohit Sharma's 264 in an ODI and Chris Gayle's 175 not out in a T20 match.
  • Famous Cricket Bowling and Team Records Explained: Famous bowling records include Muttiah Muralitharan's 800 Test wickets, Jim Laker's 19 wickets in one Test and Anil Kumble's 10 for 74. Team records include Sri Lanka's 952 for 6 declared in a Test and England's 498 for 4 in an ODI.