Key takeaways
- A Test gives each side two innings over a scheduled five days, with at least 90 overs a day; draws are possible.
- An ODI gives each side one innings of up to 50 overs, and no bowler may bowl more than 10.
- A T20 international gives each side one innings of up to 20 overs, with a four-over limit per bowler.
- Under the October 2026 playing conditions, ODIs use two new balls for overs 1 to 34, then the fielding side keeps one for the rest.
- The ICC also publishes playing conditions for four-day Tests: six and a half hours and at least 98 overs a day.
International cricket has three formats built on one set of Laws. A Test is scheduled for five days; an ODI and a T20 international are each scheduled for one. The differences come from the playing conditions the International Cricket Council (ICC) publishes for each format, which modify MCC's Laws of Cricket. This comparison uses the ICC's men's playing conditions effective October 2026.
The three formats at a glance
| Test | One-day international (ODI) | T20 international (T20I) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innings per side | Two | One | One |
| Overs per innings | Unlimited | Up to 50 | Up to 20 |
| Scheduled duration | Five days | One day | One day |
| Bowler limit | None (but no consecutive overs) | 10 overs | 4 overs |
| Ball | Traditionally red; pink in day/night Tests | White | White |
| New ball | One per innings; another available after 80 overs | Two, one from each end, for overs 1 to 34 | One per innings |
| Possible results | Win, tie, draw | Win (level scores go to a Super Over), tie, no result | Win (level scores go to a Super Over), tie, no result |
| First played | 15 March 1877 | 5 January 1971 | 17 February 2005 |
The dates come from Wikipedia's histories of each format; the rules from the ICC's playing conditions, and the ball colours from Wikipedia's article on Test cricket and the ICC's requirement of white balls for ODIs and T20Is.
Test cricket: time is a resource
The ICC's Test playing conditions schedule matches of five days with six hours of play a day. On every day except the last, play continues until at least 90 overs have been bowled, a minimum rate of 15 an hour, with up to 30 minutes of overtime allowed; overs not bowled are not made up later.
Because each side bats twice and there is no overs limit, a Test has a third possible result: the draw, when time runs out before either side wins. That turns time itself into a tactic. A captain may declare an innings closed to leave enough time to bowl the opposition out, or enforce the follow-on with a lead of 200 or more. How a Test match ends in a draw explains the arithmetic.
The ICC now also publishes four-day Test playing conditions, which schedule six and a half hours of play a day with a minimum of 98 overs.
ODIs: 50 overs and a balance of risk
In an ODI, each side bats once for up to 50 overs, unless bowled out first. No bowler may bowl more than 10 overs, so a side needs at least five bowlers' worth of overs. To constitute a match after interruptions, the side batting second must face at least 20 overs.
Two details shape the format. Fielding restrictions, or powerplays, limit how many fielders can be in the deep in different phases. And under the October 2026 conditions, each fielding side uses two new balls, one from each end, for overs 1 to 34; after the 34th over it chooses one of them for the rest of the innings. In matches cut to 25 overs or fewer before the start, only one ball is used.
T20Is: 20 overs, maximum intent
A T20I gives each side one innings of up to 20 overs, and no bowler can bowl more than four. The first six overs are a powerplay, during which only two fielders may stand outside the fielding circle. A match needs at least five overs per side to count. If scores finish level, the playing conditions for both T20Is and ODIs call for a Super Over, and further Super Overs until there is a winner; only if they cannot be completed is the match tied.
How the format changes the cricket
- Batting tempo. Wikipedia's article on batting notes that in a Test, with unlimited overs, a batter can take their time, while in an ODI batters try to score quickly and accept more risk of dismissal.
- Bowling plans. A Test captain can keep a bowler on for as long as the no-consecutive-overs rule allows; limited-overs captains must ration 10 or 4 overs per bowler.
- Fielding. ODI and T20I powerplays cap the number of fielders outside the 30-yard fielding restriction area; in a Test, the Law 28 limits on placing fielders still apply, but there is no such circle.
How long a cricket match lasts turns these rules into hours, and cricket rules for beginners covers the basics shared by all three formats.
A cricketer's career moves between these demands. In Cricket Sport Career Simulator, one of our sports career games, you shape a player's role and skills and make the key decisions in each match while fast simulation handles the rest.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How many overs are there in an ODI and a T20?
How many overs are bowled in a day of Test cricket?
How many overs can a bowler bowl?
Can an ODI or T20 end in a draw?
Sources
- ICC Men's Test Match Playing Conditions, October 2026 (opens in a new tab)International Cricket Council — accessed
- ICC Men's ODI Playing Conditions, October 2026 (opens in a new tab)International Cricket Council — accessed
- ICC Men's T20I Playing Conditions, October 2026 (opens in a new tab)International Cricket Council — accessed
- ICC Men's Four-Day Test Playing Conditions, October 2026 (opens in a new tab)International Cricket Council — accessed
- Test cricket (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed
- Batting (cricket) (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed
- One Day International (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed
- Twenty20 International (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed
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