The 10th ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026.
Twenty teams will compete in 55 matches for the chance to win cricket’s most prestigious T20 trophy.
However, cricket is a game that includes a list of commonly used terms and phrases, which can be confusing for beginners.
In this illustrated guide, Al Jazeera breaks down cricket terminology to help you understand the game loved by nearly 2 billion people.
What is the purpose of the game?
Cricket is a bat and ball sport played between two teams of 11 players each.
The game is divided into two parts called innings.
In the first innings, following a coin toss, the first team takes to bat while the other teams bowl and field.
The batting team must try to score the most points in the allotted time, while the bowling team must try to prevent scoring.
A bowling team has a dedicated bowler, and the rest of the players are spread out around the ground catching balls to prevent batters from scoring or to put batters out.
In the bottom of the second inning, the bowling team gets their turn at bat and tries to score more points than their opponent.
The team with the most runs at the end of the day wins the game.
What does T20 mean?
There are three different formats of cricket, each with its own time period 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 runs. This format of games is designed to be shorter and faster paced, creating more excitement for the audience.
One Day International (ODI) matches usually last around 7-8 hours. Each team will be given a total of 300 deliveries, divided into 50 overs, to score the most runs.
Test matches are the longest and oldest format of the game and are played over up to five days. It is considered a test of endurance and skill. At least 90 over every day. Two innings for both teams.
cricket field and pitch
Cricket is usually played on a large oval field, approximately 150 meters (164 yards) in diameter at its widest point and surrounded by boundary ropes.
In the center of the field is the pitch, a rectangular area approximately 20 meters (22 yards) long and 3 meters (3.3 yards) wide, where most matches are played.
At each end of the pitch are three wooden poles, known as wickets or stumps, topped by two railings.
Batters stand in front of these wickets within a designated area known as the batting crease. From there, hit the ball coming in from the bowler.
During a match, the batting team actually has two players on the field, and they take turns hitting the ball, one at each end of the pitch.
The bowling team, on the other hand, will have all 11 players spread out across the field to minimize the number of runs the opponent can score.
Some of the most common locations are listed below.
How are RBIs calculated?
The batter’s objective is to score as many points as possible by hitting the ball between the fielders and over the boundary rope.
To score, the batter must hit the ball and run to the other side of the pitch with his batting partner before the fielder returns the ball. Otherwise, you may run out.
If both batters complete one point safely, they score one point, and if both batters complete two points, they score two points.
If the batsman hits the ball along the ground and it reaches the boundary rope, he is awarded 4 points.
To signal that 4 points have been scored, the referee moves his right hand from one side to the other and waves it horizontally back and forth repeatedly.
If the batter hits the ball directly over the boundary line before it bounces, a maximum of 6 points will be scored. Although this shot is the most challenging, it is also one of the most dangerous as it can be bowled or caught.
When signaling 6, the referee raises his hands above his head, which fans often imitate.
How do players go “out”?
There are several ways to get a batter out, and each out is called a “lost wicket”.
Since cricket is played in pairs of batsmen, the innings ends when 10 players from the batting team are dismissed, and the total number of runs they score sets the target score for the bowling team.
The most common ways to send off a player are:
Bowling: This happens when the batsman misses the ball and the ball hits the wicket.
Catch: The batter is out when he hits the ball, and the fielder has caught the ball before it touches the ground.
Run Out: A run out occurs when a batsman is about to score and the fielding team throws the ball into the wicket before it reaches the other side of the pitch.
LBW (Leg Before Wicket): This decision depends on various factors, but simply put, if a batsman is standing in front of the wicket and the ball hits his feet, the batsman is awarded LBW and cannot hit the wicket.
To signal “out,” the umpire standing in the center of the field holds up his index finger to indicate that the batter has been ejected.
This gesture is often referred to as the referee’s “finger raised” or “finger held out.”
How do I read my score?
To track cricket scores, you need to see three numbers.
The first is the number of points scored by the team. The higher the number, the better.
The second indicates the number of ‘outs’ or ‘wickets’. The at-bat ends when 10 players are out.
The third is the number of overs bowled.
The total score is: 109-5 (10 overs)
This means 109 runs were scored, 5 players were out and 10 overs were completed.
Typically, teams make between 100 and 250 runs during a T20 match. A score of 100 is considered a poor defense, while a score of 250 runs is usually very strong.
The highest score in international T20 cricket was between Zimbabwe and Gambia in 2024.
Zimbabwe took the lead and posted a massive score of 344-4 in 20 overs. In comparison, Gambhir could only manage 54 runs before losing all 10 wickets.
Zimbabwe won by 290 points.
