Cricket is a fascinating sport and is rather unique in its nature when it comes to leagues and game formats. If you take football for example, many different leagues issue different points and have different cut-offs, however, the format always stays the same, 90 minutes and 11 a side. However, with cricket, there are what is known as ‘short format’ games which is exactly what Twenty20 cricket is all about.
This article aims to shed light on the rules around Twenty20 cricket so that you can properly enjoy the next game you watch as you know all the ins and outs, or better yet, perhaps you’ll pick up a cricket ball and start playing.
It’s a Speedy Process
The nature of Twenty20 cricket is fast-paced and quick in its setup. The reason for this is largely due to the fact that the game typically only takes around one and a half hours in total, due to the decreased amount of innings, over and balls in comparison to a traditional cricket game. Twenty20 is a game that has started to experience more attention, due to its short format, with many spectators actually taking the chance to place some bets on some of their favorite teams and players. Some practice their skills of sports betting by parking in other gambling avenues and they play at a leading online casino in New Zealand that tests their abilities and makes them better players.
The rules around Twenty20 cricket are simple, there is one inning in total, there are 20 overs and within one inning, there are 120 legal balls thrown. Just as with a traditional game, 9 batsmen or batswomen can come out to back and the aim is to score as many runs as possible within those 120 balls. A run is classified as when the batsman or batswoman can complete a run over the pitch, before the ball is thrown to hit the wickets or before the ball is with the opposing man at the wicket. The idea is to make as many runs as possible, however, you can also achieve runs by hitting the ball with precision.
You can either make a zero, two, four or six-point run. A zero is naturally when you were not able to make any runs and a two is when you and your partner batsman or batswoman were both able to make it once across the length of the pitch. Making a four or six can either be done through a run but more typically it is done through hitting the cricket ball far.
If the ball makes it past all the opposing catchers and hits the outside rim that spans across the outside of the field, then this is awarded with four runs. If the batter can hit the ball beyond this four-line, without it ever touching the ground, then this would be categorized as a six. The aim is naturally to make as many sixes as possible, as the team batting wants to make as many runs with those 120 balls as possible.
There are certain rules that both the batting team and the bowling team need to follow. For example, LBW is a term often used that stands for ‘leg before wicket’ and means that the batsperson has illegally placed their leg before the wicket, which is what the bowler is trying to hit and this is not allowed. Furthermore, the bowler needs to ensure that his toes are directly behind the bowing line, if they are over, then this counts as an illegal ball and needs to be thrown out. Furthermore, there are courteous rules around not shouting and the fans not cheering too loudly – the game of cricket is known as one for gentlemen, similar to gold and requires the utmost respect between the players, umpire and spectators.
Teams are Structured
Beyond the rules that players need to abide by regarding Twenty20 cricket, there are also some other important factors for the team to consider. The main one is the short format of the game, which means that teams need to strategize to make as many runs as possible. A common way of doing this is by putting their best batsmen or batswomen out from the start. Typically, the two best batspeople go out in the hope that they will not be bowled out and will be able to make as many runs as possible. However, the opposing team naturally knows this, so they will often place their best bowlers to rival these players.
This is why the beginning of a cricket game is often so thrilling, as you are watching the best bats people versus the best bowlers. The end of the game is also exciting but for different reasons. As the more experienced bats people get bowled, the less experienced ones come out or the ones who are actually bowlers. You see, within a team, only 9 players can bat. Therefore, to make a balanced team, there will usually be 5 exceptional bats people and 4 exceptional bowlers but each person needs to be able to do both tasks. This is one of the biggest ways that teams are structured, with their best people going out first and then sending people out in a specific sequence, to gain as many runs over the opposing team as possible.