What Is an Over In Cricket & How Many Balls In an Over?
Cricket has its own language, and one of the words you will hear most often is “over”. Commentators use it, scoreboards display it, and fans talk about it as if it were second nature. Yet, if you have not followed the game closely, it can sound confusing.
This guide clears things up by explaining exactly what an over is, how many deliveries it contains, and why it matters in every format of the game. By the end, you will be able to follow overs with ease and spot how they can help shape the rhythm, tactics, and scoring in cricket.
What Does an Over Mean in Cricket?
An over is a defined passage of play where one bowler delivers a set of balls from one end of the pitch. Think of it as a building block of the match. Each over frames the contest between bat and ball, creating short bursts of action that add up across innings.
Once an over is complete, the umpire calls “over” and play shifts. A teammate then takes the ball and bowls from the opposite end. This pattern continues throughout the innings. The switch keeps matches fair by stopping one bowler from sending down delivery after delivery without a break. It also tests both batting and bowling sides in different ways, as the angle and end of the pitch change.
Overs are central to how formats are structured. In Twenty20 cricket, each team faces 20 overs, while in One Day Internationals it is 50 overs per side. Test cricket does not have a fixed limit, but overs still break up the match into passages that captains and players can plan around. Because everyone knows how many overs remain, teams make tactical decisions about when to score quickly, when to defend, and how to use a bowlers’ stamina wisely.
How Many Balls Are in an Over?
In modern cricket, an over is made up of six legal deliveries. These deliveries are bowled consecutively by the same bowler. Once six are completed, that over is finished, and a new bowler delivers the next set from the other end.
It is important to note that only legal deliveries count towards the six. If a bowler sends down a no ball or a wide, that ball does not count, and an extra delivery is added to the over. This can extend an over to seven, eight, or even more balls in unusual cases.
When you see notation such as 4.2 overs, it refers to four full overs and two balls into the fifth. This is a common way to show progress in scorecards and commentary. For example, if a match report says a bowler has bowled 7.5 overs, it means they have sent down seven overs and five deliveries of the eighth.
Why Does an Over Have Six Balls?
The choice of six balls per over is not random. It is the result of many years of cricket’s evolution. Historically, different competitions experimented with different lengths. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, overs of four, five, six, and even eight deliveries were tried in different countries.
In England, overs settled on six balls from 1900, with a brief experiment of eight-ball overs during the Second World War years. By 1946, the six-ball over had become the permanent standard in English domestic and international cricket. Other nations used different systems for a time — Australia, for instance, bowled eight-ball overs in some competitions until the late 1970s.
The 1980 edition of the Laws of Cricket clarified the standard worldwide, stating that an over must contain six deliveries. Since then, six-ball overs have been used consistently across all formats at the highest level, including Tests, One Day Internationals, and Twenty20 matches.
Why six? The balance works for both sides. Six deliveries give bowlers a chance to build pressure and try variations, while batters have enough opportunities to adjust and respond. Fewer balls would make it difficult for bowlers to develop a plan, and more could make overs drag on too long. Six also suits the flow of matches, fitting neatly into the timing of professional fixtures and television broadcasts.
What Happens After an Over in Cricket?
Once six legal deliveries have been bowled, the umpire ends the over. Play then switches to the other end of the pitch, where a different bowler takes up the attack. The same bowler is not allowed to deliver two overs in a row in professional cricket, although they can return later from the same end after a teammate has bowled.
This changeover brings several adjustments:
- Batters: If the last ball resulted in an odd number of runs, the strike changes. If it was even, the same batter faces again. If a wicket fell, the new batter joins according to the match situation.
- Fielders: Captains often move fielders to suit the incoming bowler’s style. A fast bowler might need more players behind the wicket, while a spinner might prefer close catchers.
- Bowlers: Workload is carefully managed. In limited overs formats, bowlers have maximum quotas — 4 overs in Twenty20, and 10 in a One Day International. In Tests, there is no fixed limit, but captains still rotate bowlers to try and avoid fatigue.
The quick turnaround of overs also helps to maintain the tempo of the game. In limited overs cricket, penalties can even be given for slow over rates. In Test matches, captains often take a little longer between overs, using the pause to set fields and discuss tactics.
Bet on Cricket Online at Bet442
At Bet442, you can explore our cricket markets across domestic and international fixtures in a clear, straightforward way. Log in or join to see what is available before and during play, and choose from familiar payment methods to manage your account securely.
Bet442 is licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. Please bet responsibly, set limits that work for you, and seek support if you need it.
Understanding overs can make scorecards, commentary, and markets easier to read, so you can follow the game with confidence from the first ball to the last.
*All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins etc.) mentioned in relation to these games are subject to change at any time. Game features mentioned may not be available in some jurisdictions.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.