Cricket is played on a rectangular 22-yard (20.12 m) pitch at the center of the field, with wooden stumps and bales at each end. Popping creases, 66 feet (20.12 m) apart, mark the zones for batsmen and bowlers.
Basic Rules and Gameplay
Innings: Each team bats and bowls once, switching roles in the second innings.
Batting: Two batsmen stand at opposite ends, hitting the ball to score runs, either by running between the wickets or hitting boundaries (4 for a ground shot, 6 for a full shot).
Bowling: Bowlers aim to dismiss batsmen using methods like hitting the stumps, inducing a catch, or leg before wicket (LBW).
Fielding: Fielders stop runs, catch the ball, or run out batsmen to prevent scoring.
Scoring and Winning: The team with the most runs wins. In limited-overs formats, the highest score at the end of the innings wins.
Types of Cricket Matches
Test Matches: Played over five days, each team has two innings.
ODIs (One Day Internationals): Limited to 50 overs per team, completed in one day.
T20: Shortest format with 20 overs per team, known for fast-paced, high-scoring games.