A simple guide to playing cricket

EXPLAINERCricket is among the most popular sports globally. Al Jazeera explains key terms to help you understand the game.Published On 4 Feb 2026The tenth edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will take place in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026.Twenty teams will be competing in 55 matches for the chance to win cricket’s most prestigious T20 trophy.But cricket is a game with a list of commonly used terms and phrases that might confuse those new to it.In this illustrated guide, Al Jazeera breaks down cricket lingo and helps you understand the game beloved by nearly two billion people.What is the aim of the game?Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams consisting of 11 players each.The game is divided into two parts, known as innings.In the first innings, following a coin toss, the first team bats while the other team bowls and fields.The batting team should try to score the highest number of runs in the allotted time, while the bowling team has to try to prevent them from scoring.The bowling team has dedicated bowlers, while the remaining players, spread across the ground, try to prevent the batters from scoring runs as well as catch the ball to get the batters out.In the second innings, the bowling team now gets a turn to bat and try to score more runs than their opposition.The team with the highest number of runs at the end of the day wins the game.What does T20 mean?There are three different formats in cricket, each with its own duration and rules.Each format has its own defined set of “overs”.An “over” consists of six deliveries by the bowler.In a T20 match, which usually lasts three to four hours, each team is given 20 overs (120 balls) to score the most number of runs. This format of the game is designed to be shorter and faster-paced, which provides more excitement for spectators.A One Day International (ODI) match typically lasts about seven to eight hours. Each team is given a total of 300 deliveries, which are divided into 50 overs, to score the most number of runs.A Test match is the longest and oldest format of the game, played over a maximum of five days. It is considered a test of endurance and skill. Each day has a minimum of 90 overs. Both teams have two innings each.The cricket field and pitchCricket is played in a large, oval-shaped field, typically about 150 metres (164 yards) in diameter at its widest point and surrounded by a boundary rope.In the centre of the field is the pitch, a rectangular area about 20 metres long (22 yards) and 3 metres (3.3 yards) wide, where most of the action takes place.At each end of the pitch are three wooden sticks known as wickets or stumps, with two bails atop them.The batter stands in front of these wickets inside a specified area known as the batting crease. It is from there that he or she will strike the incoming ball from the bowler.During the match, the batting team will actually have two players on the field, one on either end of the pitch, to take turns in hitting the ball.The bowling team, meanwhile, will have all 11 players scattered throughout the field to minimise the number of runs their opponents can score.Some of the most common positions are shown below:How are runs scored?The aim for the batters is to score as many runs as possible by hitting the ball in the gaps between the fielders or over the boundary rope.To score a run, the batter needs to hit the ball and then, together with their batting partner, run to the opposite side of the pitch before the fielder returns the ball; otherwise, they can be run out.A single run is scored when both batters safely complete one run, a two-run when they complete two runs, and so on.If a batter hits the ball along the ground and it reaches the boundary rope, then four runs are awarded.To signal that four runs have been scored, the umpire moves his right hand from one side to the other, repeatedly waving it back and forth horizontally.Umpire Paul Reiffel (R) signals four runs during a Test match between West Indies and India [Randy Brooks/AFP]The maximum, six runs, is scored when the batter hits the ball directly over the boundary before it bounces. This shot is the most rewarding but also among the riskiest, due to the chances of getting bowled or caught.To signal a six, the umpire will raise both hands above his head, which the fans will often imitate.Umpire Michael Gough (R) signals for six runs during a One Day International cricket match between Zimbabwe and Ireland [Jekesai Njikizana/AFP]How does a player get ‘out’?There are several ways to get a batter out, with each out referred to as “losing a wicket”.Since cricket is played with pairs of batsmen, when 10 players from the batting team are dismissed, their innings concludes, and the sum of the runs they scored sets the target score for the bowling team.The most common ways of getting a player out include:Bowled: This happens if the batter misses the ball, and it goes on to hit the wicket.Caught: A batter is caught out when they hit the ball and a fielder catches it before it touches the ground.Run-Out: A run-out happens when the fielding team throws the ball at the wicket while the batter is trying to score a run and before they can reach the opposite side of the pitch.LBW (Leg Before Wicket): This decision depends on various factors, but in a nutshell, a batter can be given out LBW if the ball hits their legs while they are standing in front of the wicket, thus preventing the wicket from being hit.To signal an “out”, the umpire who is standing in the middle of the field will raise his index finger to signify that a batter has been dismissed.This gesture is often referred to as the umpire having “raised the finger” or “given the finger”.The on-field umpire signals an out for Australia’s Pat Cummins before the decision is overturned following a review [Andrew Boyers/Reuters]How do you read the score?To follow the score in cricket, you need to look at three numbers.The first is the number of runs a team has scored – the higher the number, the better.The second indicates the number of “outs” or “wickets”. Once 10 players are out, their batting innings come to an end.The third is the number of overs that have been bowled.Combined, a score may look like this: 109-5 (10 overs)This means that 109 runs have been scored, 5 players are out, and 10 overs have been completed.(Al Jazeera)Typically, teams make anywhere from 100 to 250 runs during a T20 match. A score of 100 is considered low to defend, while 250 runs is usually very strong.The highest score in international T20 cricket was between Zimbabwe and The Gambia in 2024.Zimbabwe batted first and scored a huge 344-4 in their 20 overs. In response, The Gambia only managed 54 runs before losing all 10 of their wickets.Zimbabwe won by 290 runs.