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Powerplays in Cricket: Fielding Restrictions in ODIs and T20s

How powerplays work under the ICC's October 2026 rules: the 30-yard circle, ODI phases of 10, 30 and 10 overs, the T20 six-over powerplay, shorter games.

By Published 3 min read

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Key takeaways

  • A powerplay limits how many fielders may stand outside a 30-yard fielding circle at the moment of delivery.
  • In a 50-over ODI: at most two fielders outside the circle in overs 1–10, four in overs 11–40 and five in overs 41–50.
  • In a 20-over T20I: at most two outside during the first six overs and five afterwards.
  • When overs are reduced, the ICC tables shrink each phase; in T20Is the shortened powerplay works out at about 30% of the balls.
  • Breaking the restriction is a no ball, which in limited-overs internationals also brings a free hit.

In a Test there is no fielding circle. In one-day and T20 internationals, the playing conditions limit how many fielders may stand in the deep at certain points of an innings. These blocks of overs are powerplays, and they shape the rhythm of every white-ball innings. The rules below come from the ICC's men's ODI and T20I playing conditions effective October 2026.

The fielding circle

The restriction is measured from a marked area. The playing conditions describe two semicircles of 30 yards (27.43 m) radius, centred on the middle stump at each end and joined by straight lines, marked with white lines or with discs every 5 yards. A fielder counts as "outside" depending on where they are at the instant of delivery.

The Laws' standing rule still applies on top: no more than two fielders, other than the wicket-keeper, behind the popping crease on the on side.

ODI powerplays: three phases

Phase Overs in a 50-over innings Maximum fielders outside the circle
Powerplay 1 1 to 10 2
Powerplay 2 11 to 40 4
Powerplay 3 41 to 50 5

The umpire signals the start of the middle and final phases by rotating an arm in a large circle, and the scoreboard shows which powerplay is in force.

T20I powerplay: the first six overs

Phase Overs in a 20-over innings Maximum fielders outside the circle
Powerplay 1 to 6 2
Rest of the innings 7 to 20 5

When rain shortens the innings

Both sets of playing conditions shrink the phases when an innings is reduced, using fixed tables that apply to both innings.

ODI innings length Powerplay 1 Powerplay 2 Powerplay 3
20 overs 4 12 4
30 overs 6 18 6
40 overs 8 24 8
45 overs 9 27 9

In T20Is the powerplay is given in overs and balls:

T20I innings length Powerplay
5 overs 1.3 overs (9 balls)
10 overs 3.0 overs (18 balls)
15 overs 4.3 overs (27 balls)
19 overs 5.4 overs (34 balls)

The T20I table works out at about 30% of the innings: 30% of 60 balls is exactly 18, and of 90 balls exactly 27.

Mid-innings changes take effect at once. The ODI conditions give an illustration: a 50-over innings interrupted after 8.3 overs and cut to 32 overs gets new phases of 7, 19 and 6. Because 8.3 overs have gone, the middle-phase restrictions apply immediately on the restart and last for a further 17.3 overs, and the final phase begins after 26 overs. A second illustration: a 40-over innings interrupted after 18.5 overs and cut to 22 overs gets phases of 5, 13 and 4, so 18 overs are already past the first two phases and the final-phase restrictions apply for the remaining 3.1 overs. In a T20I, if the shortened powerplay has already been bowled when play resumes mid-over, the rest of that over is not restricted. The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method explains how the targets are reset in the same situations.

Breaking the restriction

If too many fielders are outside the circle at delivery, the umpire calls and signals no ball: one run, an extra ball and, in ICC limited-overs internationals, a free hit for the next delivery. For that free hit the fielding side may change positions only to the extent needed to correct the breach. No ball and wide rules covers the penalties.

How powerplays change tactics

  • Aggressive openers. Wikipedia's batting-order article says that once fielding restrictions limited the fielding side to two players on the boundary in the early overs, it became beneficial to open with an aggressive batter, and that wicket-keeper batters and heavy-hitting all-rounders who bat lower in Tests have been promoted to open in limited-overs cricket. Cricket batting shots describes the lofted strokes involved.
  • Harder maidens. Wikipedia's article on the over notes that bowling a maiden in ODI and T20 cricket can be difficult, partly because the rules restrict field placements in ways that help batters score.
  • How many stay inside. With two fielders outside the circle, seven of the nine fielders other than the bowler and keeper must be inside it; with five outside, four must be inside.

Cricket fielding positions names the places those fielders stand, and Test versus ODI versus T20 explains why Tests have no powerplays. In Cricket Sport Career Simulator, one of our sports career games, batting technique and scoring is one of the skill groups your cricketer develops for exactly these phases.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What is a powerplay in cricket?
A block of overs in limited-overs cricket during which the fielding side may have only a set number of fielders outside the 30-yard circle. Wikipedia's article on the batting order notes that, to take advantage of these restrictions, it became beneficial to have an aggressive batter opening in limited-overs cricket.
How many fielders can be outside the circle in an ODI?
Under the ICC's October 2026 ODI playing conditions: no more than two in overs 1 to 10, no more than four in overs 11 to 40, and no more than five in overs 41 to 50.
How long is the powerplay in a T20?
The first six overs of each innings in a 20-over T20 international, with no more than two fielders outside the circle. After that, up to five may be outside. In shortened matches, the powerplay is cut, for example to 3 overs in a 10-over match.
What happens if there are too many fielders outside the circle?
The umpire calls and signals no ball. That adds a run, the ball is bowled again, and in ICC limited-overs internationals the next delivery is a free hit; the fielding side may only change the field to correct the breach.

Sources

  1. ICC Men's ODI Playing Conditions, October 2026 (opens in a new tab)International Cricket Council — accessed
  2. ICC Men's T20I Playing Conditions, October 2026 (opens in a new tab)International Cricket Council — accessed
  3. Batting order (cricket) (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed
  4. Over (cricket) (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia — accessed

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