International cricket has three main formats: Tests, One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Tests can run for up to five days, with two innings per team; ODIs give each side one innings of 50 overs; and T20Is give each side one innings of 20 overs. An over is a set of deliveries bowled from one end. These basics explain much of what you see on a scorecard, while the exact rules for interruptions and results depend on the match’s current playing conditions.
How do cricket formats differ?
The comparison below describes the ICC’s international formats. Domestic competitions may use different formats or conditions. A match’s time limit and innings structure shape how much time each side has to score and respond.
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| Format | Broad length | Innings per team | Overs | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | Up to five days | Two | No fixed limited-overs allocation | The longest format, with more time and innings to build totals or pursue a result. |
| One-Day International (ODI) | One day | One | 50 per side | A limited-overs contest balancing time to build an innings against a set scoring window. |
| Twenty20 International (T20I) | Usually around three hours | One | 20 per side | The shortest of the three; the smaller over limit compresses each innings. |
The ICC describes these three formats and their broad structures in its overview of the three formats.
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An over is a group of six valid balls bowled from one end. Some illegal deliveries do not count toward those six, so the number of balls physically bowled can be greater than six. The bowler then changes ends for the next over, and another bowler delivers it.
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For example, “10 overs” means 10 completed overs, not 10 individual balls. Under the ordinary six-valid-ball rule, that is 60 valid deliveries. In a limited-overs match, the over allowance sets the maximum scheduled length of a team’s innings; it does not mean the side must use every over if it is dismissed or reaches its target sooner.
How do innings and targets work?
An innings is a team’s turn batting. The batting side tries to score runs; the fielding side tries to dismiss batters and restrict those runs. In an ODI or T20I, each side normally has one innings. The first side’s score establishes a target for the second side to chase. A Test gives each side two innings, so the match result depends on the combined scores and the state of play across those innings, not a single limited-overs chase.
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Runs and wickets are often shown together on a scoreboard: a score such as 150/4 means 150 runs for four wickets lost. Overs faced may appear beside the score, indicating how much of the innings’ allotted time has been used.
What do win, tie, draw and no-result mean?
- Win: The applicable result rules identify one team as the winner.
- Tie: The teams finish level under the match’s result conditions. A tied match may have a competition-specific tie-breaker, so a tie does not always settle the event.
- Draw: A Test match can finish without a winner or tie, for example when the available time ends before either side secures a decisive result.
- No-result: The match does not produce a winner under its rules, often because interruptions leave too little play for a result.
These are broad descriptions rather than a complete rules test. Weather delays, minimum play requirements, revised targets, tie-breakers and the distinction between a draw and a no-result are governed by the format and competition conditions. There is no single rain rule that safely applies to every cricket match.
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Why can the detailed rules vary?
The ICC maintains separate playing conditions for men’s and women’s Tests, ODIs and T20Is. Tournament and domestic rules can also differ. The ICC playing-conditions index lists the applicable documents; consult the one for the competition and format in question when a specific rule matters.
The ICC announced revised conditions for international series starting on or after 1 October 2026; series already under way continue under their previous regulations. The changes include provisions about pink balls in Tests, the end of a day when a wicket falls during an incomplete final over, and the T20I interval. This is one reason not to rely on a generic summary for edge cases: check the event’s current conditions. See the ICC announcement dated 1 October 2026.
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