T20, ODI and Test cricket: the three formats explained
Cricket is played in several formats. The basic rules are the same, but the length of the match changes how teams bat, bowl and plan.
T20
Each side bats for a maximum of 20 overs, and a bowler can bowl at most four of them. A match takes around three hours, so it is the easiest format to follow live. Batters take risks from the first ball, and totals between 150 and 200 are common.
One Day International (ODI)
Each side bats for up to 50 overs, and a bowler can bowl at most ten. A match usually takes most of a day. There is time to build an innings, so you see steady batting early and a fast finish at the end.
Test cricket
A Test match lasts up to five days. Each team can bat twice, and a team must bowl the other side out twice to win. If time runs out first, the match is a draw. Bowlers need 20 wickets, so patience, skill and fitness matter more than speed of scoring.
Which one should you follow?
Start with T20 if you only have an evening. Try an ODI on a weekend. Use Test cricket for the long game, and read the match summary each morning so you know where it stands.