Cricket Formats Explained: Test, ODI, T20 and More

How Test cricket, ODIs, T20Is, T10 and The Hundred differ: match length, overs, innings and what each format is used for, from international to domestic cricket.

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).

Test cricket

Test matches are the longest and oldest international format. Each side bats up to twice, there is no limit on the number of overs, and a match is scheduled for up to five days. A Test can end in a win, a loss or a draw.

Tests are played with a red ball and, traditionally, in white clothing. The ICC World Test Championship ranks teams across a two-year cycle of Test series.

One Day Internationals (ODI)

Each side faces a single innings limited to 50 overs, and a match is completed in one day. The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup is played in this format, as is the Women's Cricket World Cup.

Twenty20 (T20 and T20I)

Each side faces a single innings of 20 overs, and a match takes about three hours. T20 International (T20I) is the international version. The format is the basis of most franchise leagues, including the IPL, BBL, PSL and SA20, and of the ICC T20 World Cup.

T10 and The Hundred

T10 shortens each innings to 10 overs and is played in a number of leagues. The Hundred, launched by the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2021, gives each side 100 balls, bowled in sets of five or ten balls, rather than overs of six.

Domestic formats

First-class cricket is the multi-day domestic format, used in competitions like the Ranji Trophy in India, the Sheffield Shield in Australia and the County Championship in England. List A is the domestic limited-overs format, and domestic T20 competitions sit alongside both.

Women's cricket

Women's cricket uses the same Laws of Cricket and the same ODI and T20I formats. Women's Test matches are played less often and have usually been scheduled over fewer days than men's Tests.

Frequently asked questions

How many overs are in an ODI?

An ODI is limited to 50 overs per side.

How long does a T20 match last?

A T20 match is limited to 20 overs per side and usually takes about three hours.

Can a Test match end in a draw?

Yes. If the five days finish before the team batting last is dismissed or reaches its target, the match is drawn. A tie, with scores exactly level and the last innings complete, is much rarer.