Cricket · Guide
Test, ODI, T20 and The Hundred
Same game, four very different lengths: from five days down to about two and a half hours.
| Format | Per side | Innings each | Typical length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test | No over limit | 2 | Up to 5 days |
| ODI (one-day international) | 50 overs | 1 | About 7–8 hours |
| T20 | 20 overs | 1 | About 3 hours |
| The Hundred | 100 balls | 1 | About 2½ hours |
Test cricket
The oldest and longest form, played between the top international teams. Each side bats twice, and there is no limit on overs, so a team can bat for as long as it keeps its wickets. If time runs out before a result, it is a draw. See how long a Test lasts.
One-day internationals (ODIs)
Fifty overs each, one innings, a result on the day. Fielding restrictions, called powerplays, limit how many fielders can stand outside the inner circle at different stages. The Cricket World Cup is played in this format.
T20
Twenty overs each. The first six overs are a powerplay with only two fielders allowed outside the circle, which is why batters attack from the first ball. T20 internationals, the T20 World Cup and domestic leagues such as the IPL and England's T20 Blast use it.
The Hundred
An English competition, first played in 2021, for men's and women's teams.
- 100 balls per side, bowled in sets from each end: the ends change every ten balls.
- A bowler can deliver five or ten balls in a row, up to 20 in the match.
- The first 25 balls are a powerplay, with only two fielders outside the circle.
Reading the fixture list
A W in front means women's cricket: WODI, WT20I, WTest. The cricket fixtures page lists every international series with its formats.
Quick answers
- What is the difference between Test, ODI and T20 cricket?
- A Test lasts up to five days, with two innings each and no over limit. An ODI is 50 overs a side in one day. A T20 is 20 overs a side, about three hours.
- How does The Hundred work?
- Each side faces 100 balls. The bowling switches ends every ten balls, and a bowler can deliver five or ten in a row, up to 20 in the match.
- Which cricket format is the longest?
- Test cricket: up to five days, around 90 overs a day.
- What does the W mean in WODI or WT20I?
- Women's. A WODI is a women's one-day international and a WT20I a women's T20 international.