If you’ve ever watched cricket and wondered how many balls in a cricket over, you’re not alone. Overs and extra balls often confuse beginners, yet they form the foundation of cricket’s scoring and bowling structure. Understanding these basics helps you follow matches more confidently and enjoy the game much more—whether you’re a casual viewer or a new player.
What Is an Over in Cricket?
Short and clear definition
An over in cricket is a set of six legal deliveries bowled by one bowler from one end of the pitch.
Why overs are important
Overs determine the rhythm, strategy, and duration of any cricket match. Batting sides plan their scoring rate based on overs left, while bowlers and captains use overs to rotate bowlers, build pressure, and control the match. Every over changes the dynamics of the game by shifting ends and bowlers.
How Many Balls Are in an Over?
Standard rule (6 balls)
According to modern cricket rules, an over always contains six legal balls. A “legal ball” means the delivery is not a no-ball or a wide.
Variations in different match formats
While the number of balls per over stays the same, match formats differ in the total number of overs:
| Match Format | Overs per Innings |
|---|---|
| Test Cricket | Unlimited (time-based) |
| One Day International (ODI) | 50 overs |
| T20 International | 20 overs |
| T10 Cricket | 10 overs |
What Are Extra Balls and When Do They Occur?
No-ball / Wide-ball
- No-ball: When a bowler breaks the rules (oversteps the crease, throws an illegal action, dangerous delivery, etc.).
- Wide-ball: When the ball is too far from the batter to play legally.
Both result in 1 run + an extra ball, meaning they do not count as one of the six legal balls.
Other examples of extra balls
- Only no-balls and wides give an extra delivery.
- Byes, leg-byes, penalty runs, and overthrow runs add runs but do not add extra balls.
Example
| Over Type | Standard Balls | Extra Balls | Total Balls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean over | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1 wide | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| 1 no-ball + 1 wide | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| 2 no-balls | 6 | 2 | 8 |
Conclusion
A cricket over always includes six legal balls, but wides and no-balls create extra deliveries. Understanding overs and extra balls helps new fans follow match flow, run rates, and bowling tactics with ease. It’s one of the most essential basics in cricket.
FAQs
When does an over start and end?
An over starts with the first legal delivery and ends once six legal balls have been bowled.
Why is an over 6 balls and not 8?
Cricket historically used 4, 5, 6, and even 8-ball overs. The ICC standardised it to six balls worldwide for consistency.
How are runs counted for extra balls?
A no-ball or wide gives 1 run, and any additional runs scored (by hitting the ball or through byes) are added on top.
Does every no-ball give a free hit?
Free hits apply in limited-overs cricket, but not all formats include this rule.
Can an over have more than 10 balls?
Yes, in theory. If a bowler keeps bowling wides/no-balls repeatedly, the over can extend indefinitely until six legal balls are completed.
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