Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a grass field with a central pitch. One side bats to score runs while the other bowls and fields, aiming to dismiss the batsmen and restrict scoring.
AT A GLANCE
- ERA
- 16th century
- ORIGIN
- England
- PLAYERS
- 22 total · 11 per side
- EQUIPMENT
- Bat, ball, wickets
- PLAYING AREA
- 22 yd pitch (20.12 m)
- DURATION
- 3 hours to 5 days
- GOVERNING BODY
- ICC
- OLYMPIC
- Former (1900)
Scoring at a glance
| Action | Runs |
|---|---|
| Completed pitch run | 1 |
| Boundary (ground) | 4 |
| Boundary (aerial) | 6 |
| Wide ball / No-ball | 1 extra |
| Penalty awarded to batting side | 5 extras |
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1598 | Earliest written reference to cricket in a Guildford court case |
| 1744 | First known written codification of the Laws of Cricket |
| 1877 | First official Test match played between Australia and England |
| 1971 | First One Day International (ODI) match played in Melbourne |
| 2003 | Twenty20 (T20) format officially introduced in England |
How a game works
Teams take turns batting and fielding. The bowler delivers the ball to the batter, who attempts to hit it and run between two sets of wickets, or reach the boundary. The fielding team seeks to dismiss ten batters by hitting the wickets, catching hits, or trapping batters leg-before-wicket.
Scoring in one line
Runs are scored by batters running between wickets after striking the ball, or automatically when hitting boundaries for four or six runs. Additional runs are awarded for bowling penalties like wide balls or no-balls.
Where it came from
Cricket originated in south-east England during the late medieval period as a children's game. By the 17th century, adults played it regularly, and it evolved into England's national sport in the 18th century, expanding globally via British colonial influence.
Cricket today
Cricket is governed globally by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and followed by billions of fans, primarily in South Asia. Modern cricket is played across three main international formats: multi-day Test matches, One Day Internationals, and fast-paced Twenty20 matches.
Run a Cricket tournament
Brackets, fixtures and standings in your browser — T20: 3 hrs · Test: 5 days.
FAQ
Is cricket in the Olympics?
Cricket was played once at the 1900 Paris Olympics, where Great Britain beat France. It is scheduled to return to the Olympic program at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
How many players are on a cricket team?
A standard cricket match is played between two teams of 11 players each, making 22 players on the field in total.
What is the difference between Test cricket and T20?
Test cricket is a traditional format lasting up to five days with unlimited overs, whereas T20 is a limited-overs format completed in roughly three hours with 20 overs per side.