Understanding a cricket score is much more than knowing which team has scored more runs.
A cricket scorecard contains numbers such as 148/6, 82.4 overs, 67, SR 132.00, Econ 6.25, RR 7.40 and NRR +0.850*. For a new cricket fan, these numbers can look confusing.
This guide explains how cricket scoring works from basic to advanced level, including runs, boundaries, extras, wickets, overs, batting average, strike rate, bowling economy, run rate, required run rate, net run rate and common scorecard abbreviations.
By the end, you should be able to look at almost any cricket scorecard and understand what the numbers mean.
What Is the Basic Cricket Score?
A cricket score normally tells you:
Runs scored / Wickets lost
For example:
India 245/4
This means India has scored:
245 runs
Lost 4 wickets
Six wickets remain.
The score is often written as:
245 for 4
or simply:
245/4
What Does 245/4 Mean?
If you see:
245/4 (40 overs)
it means the batting team has:
Scored 245 runs
Lost 4 wickets
Faced 40 overs
In a limited-overs match, the number of overs remaining can then be calculated from the innings limit.
For example, in a 50-over innings:
50 − 40 = 10 overs remaining
How Are Runs Scored in Cricket?
The batting team can score runs through:
Running between wickets
Boundaries
Extras
The batter's individual score and the team's total are not always the same because some runs are extras.
What Is a Single?
A single means the batters complete one run.
For example:
Batter hits the ball → both batters run → one completed run
The batter receives one run.
What Is a Double?
A double means two runs are completed from a delivery.
The batters run from one end to the other and then back again.
If they complete the second run safely:
2 runs
are added to the team's total.
What Is a Triple?
A triple means the batters complete three runs.
Triples are less common than singles and doubles because the ball usually has to travel into an area that allows the batters enough time to run three times.
What Is a Four in Cricket?
A four is awarded when the ball reaches the boundary after touching the ground within the field, subject to the Laws and playing conditions.
A batter is credited with 4 runs.
For example:
100 runs + four boundaries = 116 runs
if those are the only additional runs involved.
What Is a Six in Cricket?
A six is scored when the ball is hit by the batter and reaches or crosses the boundary without first touching the ground within the field, subject to the applicable boundary rules.
The batter receives:
6 runs
Sixes are the maximum number of runs normally scored directly from the bat from a single delivery.
How Many Runs Can Be Scored From One Ball?
There is no universal rule saying that a batter can only score six runs from one delivery.
Depending on the situation, additional runs can occur.
For example:
The batter hits the ball.
The ball is misfielded.
The batters run several times.
The ball eventually reaches the boundary.
The final score from that delivery can therefore be greater than six in certain circumstances.
Extras can also contribute to the total.
What Are Extras?
Extras are runs added to the team's score that are not generally credited to the batter's individual score.
The main categories are:
Wides
No-balls
Byes
Leg byes
Extras are an important part of understanding a scorecard.
What Is a Wide?
A wide is a delivery judged to be outside the batter's permitted playing area under the applicable Laws and playing conditions.
A wide normally gives the batting team an extra run.
Additional runs can be scored from the same delivery.
For example:
Wide + four additional wides = 5 wides
The exact scoring depends on what happens during the delivery.
What Is a No-Ball?
A no-ball is an illegal delivery under the applicable Laws or playing conditions.
A no-ball normally gives the batting team an additional run.
The batter can also score runs from the delivery.
For example:
No-ball + six = 7 runs to the team
The batter receives the six, while the no-ball extra is recorded separately.
What Is a Bye?
A bye occurs when the ball passes the striker without touching the bat or the batter's person in circumstances covered by the Laws, and the batters complete runs.
For example:
Ball passes the batter → wicketkeeper misses it → batters run
The runs are recorded as byes.
They count toward the team's total but not the batter's individual score.
What Is a Leg Bye?
A leg bye occurs when the ball makes contact with the batter's person rather than the bat and the applicable conditions for a leg bye are satisfied.
The batters may then complete runs.
Those runs are added to the team's total as leg byes rather than to the batter's score.
Batting Score Example
Suppose a batter scores:
1 single
2 doubles
3 fours
2 sixes
The batter's score is:
1 + 4 + 12 + 12 = 29
So the batter has scored:
29 runs
What Does the Asterisk (*) Mean?
An asterisk next to a batter's score means the batter is not out.
For example:
Virat Kohli 87*
means the batter has scored 87 runs and remains not out.
At the end of an innings, the batter may still have an asterisk if they were unbeaten when the innings ended.
What Does "DNB" Mean?
DNB means:
Did Not Bat
It appears on some scorecards when a listed player did not come to the crease.
For example, a player might not bat because:
The innings ended before they were required
The team won before their position was reached
Other circumstances prevented them from batting
What Does "Retired Hurt" Mean?
A batter who leaves the field because of injury may be recorded as retired hurt, depending on the circumstances.
A retired hurt batter can potentially return to bat later under the applicable Laws and playing conditions.
This is different from being dismissed.
What Does "Retired Out" Mean?
A batter who retires for a reason other than one permitted under the relevant provisions may be recorded as retired out.
The treatment depends on the applicable playing conditions.
This is different from simply being injured and retiring hurt.
How Does a Wicket Affect the Score?
Suppose a team is:
175/3
The team has scored 175 runs and lost three wickets.
If another batter is dismissed:
175/4
The run total does not automatically change just because a wicket fell.
A wicket and runs are two separate components of the score.
What Does "All Out" Mean?
A team is all out when its innings ends after losing the applicable number of wickets.
For a normal team of 11 players, an innings can normally continue until 10 wickets have fallen, because one batter must remain at the crease.
There are exceptions and special circumstances under particular Laws and playing conditions.
What Is a Partnership?
A partnership refers to the runs scored while two batters are batting together.
For example:
India 75/2
The next two batters add 80 runs.
The team becomes:
India 155/2
Their partnership is:
80 runs
Partnership statistics are useful for understanding how two batters contributed to an innings.
What Is a Opening Partnership?
The opening partnership is the partnership between the two batters who open the innings.
For example:
India 92/0
The two opening batters have added 92 runs without losing a wicket.
What Is a Century?
A century means a batter scores at least:
100 runs
For example:
124*
means the batter has scored an unbeaten 124.
What Is a Half-Century?
A half-century means a batter scores:
50 runs
or more.
It is commonly recorded as a 50 in scorecards and commentary.
What Is a Double Century?
A batter who scores:
200 runs
has made a double century.
Triple centuries and even higher scores are possible in first-class and Test cricket.
What Is a Duck?
A duck means a batter is dismissed without scoring a run.
For example:
Batter: 0
If the batter is dismissed on zero, commentators may say:
"He was out for a duck."
What Is a Golden Duck?
A golden duck occurs when a batter is dismissed from the first ball they face without scoring.
For example:
First ball faced → wicket
= Golden duck.
What Is a Diamond Duck?
Terminology can vary, but a diamond duck generally refers to a batter being dismissed without facing a delivery.
This can occur in unusual run-out situations.
What Is a Pair?
In Test or first-class cricket, a batter who is dismissed for zero in both innings can be said to have scored a pair.
A pair therefore means:
0 + 0
across the two innings.
What Is Strike Rate?
Strike rate measures how quickly a batter scores runs.
The basic batting strike-rate formula is:
Strike Rate = (Runs ÷ Balls Faced) × 100
Strike Rate Example
Suppose a batter scores:
60 runs from 40 balls
Strike rate:
(60 ÷ 40) × 100 = 150
So the batter's strike rate is:
150.00
This means the batter scored at a rate equivalent to 150 runs per 100 balls.
Why Is Strike Rate Important?
Strike rate is especially important in limited-overs cricket.
A batter scoring:
60 from 40
and a batter scoring:
60 from 80
have the same number of runs but very different effects on the innings.
The first batter has scored much faster.
Is Strike Rate Important in Test Cricket?
Yes, but its interpretation is different.
In Test cricket, a batter may deliberately score slowly because the team values:
Time at the crease
Wicket preservation
Building a partnership
Wearing down bowlers
Match situation
Therefore, a lower strike rate is not automatically a sign of poor batting.
Context matters.
What Is Batting Average?
Batting average measures the average number of runs a batter scores per dismissal.
The basic formula is:
Batting Average = Total Runs ÷ Number of Times Dismissed
Batting Average Example
Suppose a batter scores:
80
40
100
60
Total:
280 runs
If the batter was dismissed three times:
280 ÷ 3 = 93.33
Batting average:
93.33
The innings in which the batter was not out does not count as a dismissal.
Why Are Not-Out Innings Important?
Suppose two batters both score 200 runs.
Batter A
Innings: 50, 70, 80
Dismissals: 3
Average:
66.67
Batter B
Innings: 50*, 70, 80
Dismissals: 2
Average:
100.00
The unbeaten innings changes the denominator.
That is why batting average is not simply:
Total runs ÷ total innings
What Is Run Rate?
Run rate measures how quickly a team scores.
The basic formula is:
Run Rate = Runs ÷ Overs Faced
For example:
120 runs in 20 overs
Run rate:
120 ÷ 20 = 6.00
The team is scoring at:
6 runs per over
Important: Cricket Overs Are Not Decimal Numbers
This is extremely important when calculating run rates manually.
In cricket:
19.5 overs = 19 overs and 5 balls
It does not mean 19.5 ordinary decimal overs.
Since one over contains six legal balls:
19.5 overs = 119 balls
So cricket calculations involving overs should convert the overs into balls when necessary.
How to Convert Cricket Overs Into Balls
Use:
Complete overs × 6 + remaining balls
Example:
17.4 overs
= 17 × 6 + 4
= 102 + 4
= 106 balls
Why 10.5 Overs Does Not Mean 10.5 Decimal Overs
This is a common mistake.
In cricket:
10.5 overs = 10 overs + 5 balls
That equals:
65 balls
In ordinary decimal notation, 10.5 would mean ten and a half, but cricket overs work differently.
What Is Required Run Rate?
The required run rate (RRR) tells you how quickly the chasing team needs to score to reach its target.
Formula:
Required Run Rate = Runs Required ÷ Overs Remaining
For example:
Team needs:
100 runs from 10 overs
Required run rate:
100 ÷ 10 = 10.00
The team needs to score at approximately:
10 runs per over
What Is Current Run Rate?
The current run rate or run rate tells you how quickly the team has been scoring so far.
Example:
150 runs from 25 overs
Current run rate:
150 ÷ 25 = 6.00
So:
Current RR = 6.00
Current Run Rate vs Required Run Rate
These numbers answer different questions.
Current Run Rate
How fast are we scoring now?
Required Run Rate
How fast do we need to score from here?
Example:
Score: 180/4 after 30 overs
Current run rate:
6.00
Suppose the target is 300.
Runs required:
120
Overs remaining:
20
Required run rate:
6.00
The current and required rates are equal.
What Is Net Run Rate?
Net Run Rate (NRR) is a tournament statistic commonly used in league-stage standings in limited-overs competitions.
The basic concept compares:
A team's scoring rate
with
the scoring rate of its opponents
over the relevant matches, subject to the competition's regulations.
A simplified representation is:
NRR = Team's average runs per over − Opponents' average runs per over
However, tournament regulations determine exactly which innings and overs are included.
Why Is Net Run Rate Important?
Suppose two teams finish a league stage with the same number of points.
The competition's regulations may use Net Run Rate as one of the tiebreakers.
A higher NRR can therefore be valuable in league standings.
However, the exact tiebreaking procedure depends on the tournament.
What Does NRR +0.850 Mean?
A positive NRR generally means the team's scoring rate across the relevant calculations is higher than its opponents' scoring rate.
For example:
+0.850
indicates a positive net run-rate differential of 0.850 runs per over under the applicable calculation.
What Does NRR -0.500 Mean?
A negative NRR means the team's calculated scoring rate is lower than its opponents' rate.
For example:
-0.500
means the net differential is negative 0.500 runs per over under the relevant competition calculation.
What Is a Bowling Economy Rate?
A bowler's economy rate measures how many runs the bowler concedes per over.
Formula:
Economy Rate = Runs Conceded ÷ Overs Bowled
Example:
A bowler concedes:
30 runs in 5 overs
Economy rate:
30 ÷ 5 = 6.00
So the bowler's economy is:
6.00
Are All Runs Counted Against the Bowler?
No.
This is an important distinction.
Certain extras, such as byes and leg byes, are not charged to the bowler.
Wides and no-balls generally are charged to the bowler.
Therefore, the team total and the bowler's conceded runs can be different.
What Is a Bowling Average?
A bowler's bowling average measures the average number of runs conceded per wicket taken.
Basic formula:
Bowling Average = Runs Conceded ÷ Wickets Taken
Example:
A bowler concedes:
200 runs
and takes:
10 wickets
Bowling average:
200 ÷ 10 = 20.00
What Is Strike Rate for a Bowler?
Bowling strike rate measures how many balls a bowler takes, on average, to take a wicket.
Formula:
Bowling Strike Rate = Balls Bowled ÷ Wickets Taken
Example:
600 balls
and
20 wickets
Bowling strike rate:
600 ÷ 20 = 30
The bowler takes a wicket every 30 balls on average.
Bowling Economy vs Bowling Average vs Bowling Strike Rate
These statistics measure different things.
| Statistic | Measures |
|---|---|
| Economy | Runs conceded per over |
| Bowling average | Runs conceded per wicket |
| Bowling strike rate | Balls required per wicket |
A bowler can be economical without taking many wickets.
Another bowler can take wickets frequently while conceding more runs.
Therefore, no single statistic describes the entire performance.
What Is a Five-Wicket Haul?
A bowler takes a five-wicket haul when they take five or more wickets in an innings.
It is commonly written as:
5W
For example:
5/42
means the bowler took:
5 wickets
while conceding:
42 runs
What Does 4/35 Mean?
A bowling figure such as:
4/35
means:
4 wickets
35 runs conceded
The format is generally:
Wickets / Runs
What Does 3/24 (8) Mean?
If a scorecard shows:
3/24 (8)
it generally means:
8 overs bowled
24 runs conceded
3 wickets taken
Economy:
24 ÷ 8 = 3.00
What Does 10-1-32-3 Mean?
Traditional bowling figures may appear as:
10-1-32-3
This means:
10 overs bowled
1 maiden
32 runs conceded
3 wickets taken
The format is:
Overs – Maidens – Runs – Wickets
What Does 10-0-75-1 Mean?
This means:
10 overs
0 maidens
75 runs conceded
1 wicket
The economy rate is:
75 ÷ 10 = 7.50
What Does "RR" Mean on a Scorecard?
RR generally means:
Run Rate
It indicates how many runs the batting team is scoring per over.
What Does "CRR" Mean?
CRR usually means:
Current Run Rate
It describes the scoring rate achieved so far.
What Does "RRR" Mean?
RRR generally means:
Required Run Rate
It describes the scoring rate required by the chasing team to reach the target.
What Does "SR" Mean?
For a batter:
SR = Strike Rate
It is based on runs scored and balls faced.
For a bowler, strike rate refers to balls per wicket.
Always check the context.
What Does "Econ" Mean?
Econ means:
Economy Rate
It tells you the average number of runs conceded per over by a bowler.
What Does "BF" Mean?
BF can mean:
Balls Faced
It tells you how many deliveries a batter has faced.
For example:
75 (60)
usually means:
75 runs from 60 balls
What Does "4s" Mean?
4s indicates the number of boundaries worth four runs hit by the batter.
For example:
84 (70) 8x4 2x6
means:
84 runs
70 balls
8 fours
2 sixes
What Does "6s" Mean?
6s indicates the number of sixes hit.
What Does "Overs" Mean on a Scorecard?
Overs indicate how many legal deliveries have been completed.
For example:
35.4 overs
means:
35 overs + 4 legal balls
It does not mean 35.4 ordinary decimal overs.
What Is the Target?
The target is the number of runs the chasing team needs to score to win.
If Team A scores:
250
Team B normally needs:
251
to win outright in a standard limited-overs chase.
The exact treatment of targets can differ under special circumstances such as revised targets.
What Does "Runs Required" Mean?
If a team needs 251 to win and currently has 200:
251 − 200 = 51
So:
51 runs required
What Does "Balls Remaining" Mean?
In limited-overs cricket, balls remaining indicate how many legal deliveries remain in the innings.
For example:
36 balls remaining
means the batting side has six overs remaining.
What Does "Wickets in Hand" Mean?
If a team has lost four wickets in a standard 11-player innings:
10 − 4 = 6 wickets
The team has:
6 wickets in hand
This is often used to describe a team's remaining batting resources.
What Does "Won by 6 Wickets" Mean?
Suppose Team A scores:
200
Team B reaches:
201/4
Team B has won.
It has lost four wickets, leaving six wickets available.
Therefore:
Team B won by 6 wickets.
What Does "Won by 20 Runs" Mean?
Suppose:
Team A: 250
Team B: 230 all out
Team A wins by:
250 − 230 = 20 runs
Therefore:
Team A won by 20 runs.
What Does "Won by 10 Runs" Mean in a T20?
Example:
Team A: 180/6
Team B: 170/9
Team A wins by:
10 runs
The number refers to the difference in final scores.
What Does "Won by an Innings" Mean?
This terminology is primarily used in Test and first-class cricket.
Suppose:
Team A: 450
Team B:
200
and then:
150
Team B's combined total across both innings is:
350
Team A scored 450 in one innings and therefore wins by an innings plus the difference:
450 − 350 = 100
Result:
Team A won by an innings and 100 runs.
What Is a Follow-On Score?
In Test cricket, a team that bats second can be asked to follow on if it falls sufficiently behind the first team's score under the applicable conditions.
The follow-on calculation and margin depend on the match length and playing conditions.
It is therefore possible for a team to bat twice before its opponent bats for a second time.
What Is a Declaration Score?
A declaration score is the score at which a captain voluntarily closes the team's innings.
For example:
India 500/7 declared
means India had scored 500 runs for seven wickets and voluntarily ended the innings.
What Is a Partnership Record?
A partnership record measures how many runs two batters scored together.
For example:
250-run partnership
means the pair added 250 runs while batting together.
The partnership ends when one batter is dismissed, the innings ends, or another applicable event terminates it.
What Is a Team Total?
The team total is the complete number of runs scored by the batting side.
It includes:
Batter runs + Extras
For example:
Batters' combined runs:
270
Extras:
12
Team total:
282
Why Don't Batter Scores Always Add Up to the Team Score?
Because extras are separate.
Example:
| Category | Runs |
|---|---|
| Batter runs | 250 |
| Wides | 8 |
| No-balls | 2 |
| Byes | 3 |
| Leg byes | 4 |
| Team total | 267 |
The batters collectively scored 250, but the team scored 267 because of 17 extras.
How to Read a Complete Batting Scorecard
Suppose you see:
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batter A | 72* | 50 | 8 | 2 | 144.00 |
| Batter B | 45 | 40 | 5 | 1 | 112.50 |
| Batter C | 31 | 28 | 3 | 0 | 110.71 |
You can immediately understand:
Batter A
72 not out from 50 balls.
Strike rate:
144.00
Batter B
45 runs from 40 balls.
Strike rate:
112.50
Batter C
31 runs from 28 balls.
Strike rate:
110.71
How to Read a Bowling Scorecard
Suppose:
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowler A | 10 | 1 | 42 | 3 | 4.20 |
| Bowler B | 10 | 0 | 60 | 2 | 6.00 |
| Bowler C | 8 | 0 | 48 | 1 | 6.00 |
Bowler A:
10 overs, 1 maiden, 42 runs, 3 wickets
Economy:
4.20
Bowler B:
10 overs, 60 runs, 2 wickets
Economy:
6.00
Advanced Cricket Statistic: Batting Average vs Strike Rate
These two statistics answer completely different questions.
Batting Average
How many runs does the batter score per dismissal?
Strike Rate
How quickly does the batter score?
A batter can have:
High average + high strike rate
or:
High average + low strike rate
or:
Low average + high strike rate
The interpretation depends heavily on the format and role.
Advanced Cricket Statistic: Economy vs Strike Rate
The same principle applies to bowlers.
Economy
How many runs does the bowler concede per over?
Bowling Strike Rate
How many balls does the bowler take per wicket?
A bowler who takes wickets quickly may have an excellent strike rate even if their economy is relatively high.
Why Statistics Must Be Compared Within Context
Statistics should not always be compared directly across formats.
For example:
A T20 batter's strike rate of 145 and a Test batter's strike rate of 55 represent very different styles of play.
Similarly:
A T20 bowler's economy of 7.50 and a Test bowler's economy of 3.00 cannot be interpreted without considering:
Format
Match situation
Pitch
Opposition
Role
Era
Field restrictions
This is why advanced cricket analysis uses several statistics together.
Cricket Scoring Terms You Should Know
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Runs | Basic scoring unit |
| Four | Boundary worth four |
| Six | Boundary worth six |
| Extra | Run not generally credited to batter |
| Wide | Illegal delivery outside permitted area |
| No-ball | Illegal delivery under applicable conditions |
| Bye | Run scored without bat contact or qualifying batter contact |
| Leg bye | Run scored after qualifying contact with batter's person |
| Duck | Dismissal without scoring |
| Century | 100 runs |
| Partnership | Runs scored by two batters together |
| Strike rate | Runs per 100 balls faced |
| Average | Runs per dismissal |
| Run rate | Runs per over |
| Required run rate | Rate needed to reach target |
| Net run rate | Difference between relevant team and opponent scoring rates |
| Economy | Bowler's runs conceded per over |
| Maiden | Over with no bowler-attributed runs |
| 5W | Five-wicket haul |
| Target | Runs required to win |
Quick Cricket Scoring Formula Sheet
Batting Strike Rate
(Runs ÷ Balls Faced) × 100
Batting Average
Runs ÷ Dismissals
Run Rate
Runs ÷ Overs
Required Run Rate
Runs Required ÷ Overs Remaining
Bowling Economy
Runs Conceded ÷ Overs Bowled
Bowling Average
Runs Conceded ÷ Wickets
Bowling Strike Rate
Balls Bowled ÷ Wickets
Runs Required
Target − Current Score
Common Cricket Scoring Mistakes
Mistake 1: Treating 15.4 overs as 15.4 decimal overs
Incorrect.
15.4 overs = 15 overs and 4 balls.
Mistake 2: Dividing batting runs by innings for average
Batting average uses dismissals, not simply innings played.
Mistake 3: Counting byes as batter runs
Byes are team extras.
Mistake 4: Counting leg byes as batter runs
Leg byes are also recorded as extras.
Mistake 5: Assuming six is always the maximum score from one delivery
Additional running and extras can sometimes produce more than six team runs from one delivery.
Mistake 6: Comparing strike rates without considering format
A useful strike rate depends on the context of the match and player's role.
Final Takeaway
A cricket scorecard becomes much easier once you understand the basic numbers.
Remember these core ideas:
Runs = total points scored
Wickets = dismissals
Overs = six legal balls
Strike Rate = scoring speed
Average = runs per dismissal
Run Rate = runs per over
Required Run Rate = scoring speed needed to reach the target
Economy = bowler's runs conceded per over
NRR = relevant scoring-rate difference used in league standings
Once these concepts are clear, you can read a Test, ODI or T20 scorecard without needing to know every advanced statistic.
Cricket Basics to Advanced Series
Part 1
Cricket Rules Explained 2026: Complete Beginner to Advanced Guide
Part 2
Cricket Pitch Explained: Every Line, Crease, Measurement and Area
Part 3
LBW Rule Explained: Complete Leg Before Wicket Rules With Easy Examples
Part 4
Cricket Scoring Explained: Runs, Extras, Strike Rate, Run Rate, Average and Scorecard Terms ← You are here
Next: Part 5
All Cricket Dismissals Explained: 10 Ways a Batter Can Get Out
The next article will explain bowled, caught, LBW, run out, stumped, hit wicket, obstructing the field, retired out and the other recognised dismissal methods, with simple match examples and explanations of the situations that often confuse viewers.
