Cricket Competition Formats – Full Guide for Cricket Fans

When cricket started in the early 1800s, people used to enjoy it by playing in their backyard and hence for relaxing. However, as the game progressed, people saw what they are capable of and hence it started the evolution of cricket. The game started from test cricket and currently, cricket is played even in a 10-over match too. The journey of cricket from test format to T20 format has been exciting because of the way players have been giving their best and hence it looks like cricket will grow as the upcoming generation is putting their best for the sport. Clearly, Each format has its own unique rules and characteristics, and they are designed to appeal to different audiences and players. 

Moreover, the formats have been introduced well with the cricketers as they are now looking to perform well. The three format players like Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, MS Dhoni, and many more have been doing great which makes this sport even better. One of the best features of the cricketing formats is the skill and strategy required to play the game. In addition to hitting the ball, having great skill, technique, and mental ability are essential to the game of cricket. In this section, we will explore the formats of cricket that make it easier for cricketers to develop that definite skill.

Learn more about the formats in which cricket competitions takes place.

Test Format

The test format is the ultimate battle for the players as it provides the battle for five days and the winner knows the value of the win. Moreover, the test format is the place where the players get to compete with the best. The players like Sachin Tendulkar, Viv Richards, Steven Smith, and Virat Kohli are termed as the test stars and the tag can only come after grinding it hard for all five days.

Read on and find out what the test format is.

  • One of the main features of Test cricket is the length of the game. Test matches are played over five days and each team plays two innings. This allows for a great deal of time for the players to showcase their skills and for the game to develop. The length of the game also allows for a greater variety of scenarios and conditions to occur, which makes the game more challenging and exciting for both players and fans.
TeamMatch Won LostdrawnTied %W
England999357297345035.73
Australia812383219208247.16
West Indies532169187175131.76
South Africa425161140124037.88
Pakistan415134123158032.28
 (Most successful test playing nations)
  • Test cricket is the use of a five-day format. This format allows both teams to bat and bowl twice, allowing for a greater variety of strategies and tactics to be employed. This also gives teams the opportunity to come back from a poor performance in the first innings and make a comeback in the second innings. This feature of the game makes Test cricket more exciting and unpredictable as teams can come back from a deficit and win the match.
  • Test cricket also has a unique set of rules that makes it stand out from other formats. For example, the use of leg before wicket (LBW) and the use of the Decision Review System (DRS) to challenge the umpire’s decisions. These rules and technologies make the game more accurate and fair, and also make it more exciting for fans to watch.
PlayerSpanMatInnsNORunsHSAve100500
SR Tendulkar (IND)1989-20132003293315921248*53.78516814
RT Ponting (AUS)1995-2012168287291337825751.85416217
JH Kallis (ICC/SA)1995-2013166280401328922455.37455816
R Dravid (ICC/IND)1996-2012164286321328827052.3136638
AN Cook (ENG)2006-2018161291161247229445.3533579
(Highest run scorer in test format)
  • Test cricket also has a unique dress code. Unlike other formats of the game, Test cricket requires players to wear traditional whites. This dress code adds to the charm and tradition of the game and makes it stand out from other formats.
  • Moreover, Test cricket is played on different types of pitches worldwide, such as seaming pitches in England, spinning pitches in India and bouncy pitches in Australia. This feature of the game makes it more challenging for players as they must adapt to different conditions and types of pitches. It also makes the game more exciting for fans as different types of pitches can produce different types of play and lead to unexpected results.
PlayerSpanMatInnsBallsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR510
M Muralidaran (ICC/SL)1992-201013323044039181808009/5116/22022.722.4755.06722
SK Warne (AUS)1992-200714527340705179957088/7112/12825.412.6557.43710
JM Anderson (ENG)2003-202217732937907176396757/4211/7126.132.7956.1323
A Kumble (IND)1990-2008132236408501835561910/7414/14929.652.6965.9358
SCJ Broad (ENG)2007-202215929331982157205668/1511/12127.772.9456.5193
(Highest wicket taker in test format)

Test cricket has a rich history and culture that has evolved over centuries. From the origins of the game in England to the spread of the sport to other parts of the world, Test cricket has a rich history that is intertwined with the culture of many countries. This history is reflected in the customs and traditions of the game, such as the use of the word “sir” when addressing the umpire, the tea breaks, and the dress codes for players. This rich history and culture make Test cricket more than just a sport, it is a way of life for many fans and players around the world. 

ODI Format

The ODI format came into the existence with a lot of hopes and made sure that the teams give their best here. Moreover, the ODI World Cup makes sure that every player gets an opportunity to win it and hence the ODI Cricket World Cup is taken as the most important thing for a player in his career. Clearly, the ODI format marks as one of the best formats because of the way players have been coming up against their opponents and hence it makes it easier for the players to come up with the best form.

Find out how the ODI are run and what they mean.

  • Furthermore, one of the main features of ODI cricket is the limited number of overs. Each team has a maximum of 50 overs to score as many runs as possible. This limits the time available for the game, making it more fast-paced and action-packed. This feature of the game makes ODIs more exciting for fans as the game is more condensed and the outcome can be decided quickly.
CountrySpanMatchesWonLostTiedNo ResultWin %
Australia1971-200296658433993463.14
India1974-2022100852643294154.86
Pakistan1973-202294349541892054.17
West Indies1973-2022849409400103050.54
Sri Lanka1975-202287539843453847.84
(Most successful ODI playing nations)
  • ODI cricket also has a unique scoring system. Unlike Test cricket, where the team that scores the most runs over five days wins, in ODIs, the team that scores the most runs in a set number of overs wins. This scoring system allows for a greater variety of strategies and tactics to be employed as teams can choose to play for a win, chase a target or set a target.
  • Cricket in ODIs is played over a period of 50 overs. This format gives both teams the opportunity to bat and bowl, which allows for a greater variety of strategies and tactics to be employed. This also gives teams the opportunity to come back from a poor performance in the first innings and make a comeback in the second innings. This feature of the game makes ODIs more exciting and unpredictable as teams can come back from a deficit and win the match.
PlayerSpanMatInnsNORunsHSAveBFSR1005004s6s
SR Tendulkar (IND)1989-20124634524118426200*44.832136886.234996202016195
KC Sangakkara (Asia/ICC/SL)2000-2015404380411423416941.981804878.86259315138588
RT Ponting (AUS/ICC)1995-2012375365391370416442.031704680.393082201231162
ST Jayasuriya (Asia/SL)1989-2011445433181343018932.361472591.202868341500270
V Kohli (IND)2008-2023269260401276218358.001362493.674664151199136
(Highest run scorer in ODI format)
  • ODI cricket also has a unique set of rules that make it stand out from other formats. For example, the use of Powerplay overs, fielding restrictions, and the use of the Decision Review System (DRS) to challenge umpire’s decisions. These rules and technologies make the game more accurate and fair, and also make it more exciting for fans to watch.
  • ODIs are played on different types of pitches worldwide, such as seaming pitches in England, spinning pitches in India, and bouncy pitches in Australia. This feature of the game makes it more challenging for players as they must adapt to different conditions and types of pitches. It also makes the game more exciting for fans as different types of pitches can produce different types of play and lead to unexpected results.
PlayerSpanMatInnsBallsRunsWktsBBIAveEconSR45
M Muralidaran (Asia/ICC/SL)1993-201135034118811123265347/3023.083.9335.21510
Wasim Akram (PAK)1984-200335635118186118125025/1523.523.8936.2176
Waqar Younis (PAK)1989-20032622581269899194167/3623.844.6830.51413
WPUJC Vaas (Asia/SL)1994-200832232015775110144008/1927.534.1839.494
Shahid Afridi (Asia/ICC/PAK)1996-201539837217670136323957/1234.514.6244.749
(Highest wicket taker in ODI format)

ODI cricket has a rich history and culture that has evolved over decades. From the first ever ODI match played in 1971 to the World Cup tournaments, ODI cricket has a rich history that is intertwined with the culture of many countries. This history is reflected in the customs and traditions of the game, such as the use of different colored clothing, the use of technology, and the use of limited-overs cricket. This rich history and culture make ODI cricket an exciting and dynamic sport that continues to evolve and attract fans around the world.

T20 Format

The T20 format is a format that has been there for entertainment purposes and hence the players have been performing well here. Moreover, the T20 format makes sure that every player plays fast and has a good strike rate so that the team can score well. Here the game is all about the batters and if any bowler is having good areas to bowl, then he is the king of the format. Players like Chris Gayle, David Warner, Shahid Afridi and others have been the star players in this format.

Get to know the T20 format in cricket.

  • T20 cricket brings in the concept of franchise cricket where teams are owned by private investors and players are contracted to play for them. This has led to the creation of T20 leagues such as the Indian Premier League, the Big Bash League, and the Caribbean Premier League, which have become extremely popular among fans and players alike. These leagues have also led to the emergence of young talents who have then gone on to play for their national teams.
Team Matches WinsLosses Win %
Pakistan 2151317663.09
India1961256266.49
South Africa165946758.33
England170907255.48
Afghanistan107683864.01
(Most successful T20 playing nations)
  • T20 cricket also places a greater emphasis on fielding and athleticism. With the shorter duration of the game, every run saved in the field can be crucial in determining the outcome of the match. This has led to the development of new fielding techniques, such as the “dive save” and the “catch-and-release”, which have become staples of T20 cricket.
  • Another important aspect of T20 cricket is the role of the captain. With the shorter duration of the game and the need for quick runs, captains must make quick and effective decisions on when to take powerplays, when to bowl certain bowlers, and when to bring on fielders. These decisions can often mean the difference between winning and losing a match.
PlayerSpanMatInnsNORunsHSAve
BF

SR
1005004s6s
V Kohli (IND)2010-2022115107314008122*52.732905137.961374356117
RG Sharma (IND)2007-202214814017385311831.322767139.2442910348182
MJ Guptill (NZ)2009-20221221187353110531.812602135.702203309173
Babar Azam (PAK)2016-2022999413335512241.412625127.80230535550
PR Stirling (IRE)2009-202212112093181115*28.652360134.7812111360117

(Highest run scorer in T20 format)

  • With the shorter duration of the game, batsmen are able to play more aggressively and take more risks, resulting in more runs being scored. Additionally, field restrictions in the first six overs of the game also encourage batsmen to take advantage of the opportunity to score runs quickly. This results in matches that are often filled with big hitting, high scores, and plenty of excitement.
  • T20 cricket also introduces a powerplay, which is the first six overs of the innings where only two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle. This allows the batting team to score more runs and make up for the loss of wickets. This powerplay also brings in the element of strategy where the captain has to decide when to take it and how many fielders to keep inside the 30-yard circle.
PlayerSpanMatInnsOversMdnsRunsWktsBBIAveEconSR45
TG Southee (NZ)2008-2022107105389.1331791345/1823.728.1617.411
Shakib Al Hasan (BAN)2006-2022109107397.3327161285/2021.216.8318.651
Rashid Khan (AFG/ICC)2015-20227474280.2117541225/314.376.2513.742
IS Sodhi (NZ)2014-20228886307.1024671114/2822.228.0316.630
SL Malinga (SL)2006-20208483299.5122251075/620.797.4216.812
(Highest wicket taker in T20 format)

T20 cricket is a fast-paced and exciting form of cricket that has become increasingly popular in recent years. Its shorter duration, high scoring, and emphasis on fielding and athleticism make it a favourite among fans and players alike. The introduction of franchise cricket and T20 leagues has also provided a platform for young talents to showcase their skills and potentially move on to play for their national teams.

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