From boundaries to wickets: Your guide to pro cricket

Cricket is a dynamic sport with professional matches almost daily throughout the year. If you’re new to the sport, the sport’s year-round schedule and structure might seem overwhelming. But don’t worry, here’s a guide to help you understand the basics of professional cricket, so you can enjoy watching the games and bet on fixtures with confidence.

The three main cricket formats

Understanding the three main formats of professional cricket is key to following the sport. Each one has its own pace, style and tournament structure. These formats also shape how the game is played, how long it lasts, and which organisations run the events. 

Here’s a breakdown of the three formats to help you in staying on top of the cricket schedule:

Test

Test cricket is the oldest and most traditional cricket format, first played in 1877. It can take up to five days to complete with two innings each testing each team’s endurance and technique. The weather is a big factor in the sport as rain can call for the postponement of a game. 

Some of the biggest competitions that follow this format:

• International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship (2-year cycle, international)
• Ranji Trophy (October to February, of the same year in India)
• County Championship (April to September, of the same year in England)

One Day International (ODI) 

One Day International or ODI is a shorter cricket format played between two international teams. One match can last up to seven hours consisting of 50 overs played by each side. A tournament typically runs for just one or several weeks. 

Examples of competitions in this cricket format include:

• ICC World Cup (October to November of the same year, international)
• ICC Champions Trophy (Within June, international)
• India Bilateral ODI (5 to 15 days, India)

Twenty20

Twenty20 or (T20) is the most modern format of the three formats featuring a faster pace and more flashy games. Every match has only 20 overs per side and the format encourages explosive plays compared to Test’s more endurance-oriented competitions. T20 competitions happen annually and last for a couple of months. 

Here are some of the best T20 tournaments to watch:

• International League T20 (January and February, international)
• Indian Premier League (March to May of the same year, India)
• Big Bash League (December to February of next year, Australia)

Key information to look for

Learning the three main formats means you already have half the information you need. It is now time to follow cricket competitions and the best way to do so is to decide on an organisation. There are plenty of them as listed above and each one has their schedule to follow. 

• Match format: Start with the format first. Would you prefer a long match like the Test so there are more matches to see or would you prefer a dynamic short one but with more kinds of head-to-head to follow like the T20? The ODI is great for when you’re looking for a shorter competition. 
• Domestic or international scope: The second information to look for is where this competition is happening. It will depend on where the league is based and who is hosting the series of events. Domestic leagues happen in just one country respectively while international competitions can change host countries every season. 
• Competition types: The third information to look for is the type of competition. Knockout types of tournaments tend to last for days or weeks depending on how many teams are participating. Round-robins can take up months and teams can face each other once or twice per season. A league can feature one or two types in its full season, giving you plenty of interesting matchups to look forward to. 
• Fixture schedule: Lastly, you should seek the tournament’s list of fixtures. If it’s following a round-robin type and the participating teams are already known (common for domestic leagues), then the organisers will host a draw. This will dictate who is facing which team and when for the full series. A knockout type, however, can only schedule each consecutive round in a series. 

If you’re new to cricket, you should start following one league at a time. Start with a domestic league like the IPL or BBL because these are two of the most popular T20 domestic leagues in the world. For international events, look forward to ICC competitions which always have a series of events to follow every year. 

Stay updated and never miss a match

With this guide, you now have all the key information to stay up to date with cricket events. Learning the organisation and fixture makes staying on top of the cricket schedule easier than trying to figure them out blind. Whether you’re tuning in as a viewer, supporting your favourite team as a fan, or analysing games as a bettor, you can now enjoy one of the world’s biggest sports with insight.