How Many Innings in Cricket: Test, ODI & T20 Formats Explained

Cricket is played in several formats, each with its own pace, structure, and set of rules. One aspect that often confuses newcomers is the number of innings in a match. This single element plays a key role in how a game unfolds and is understood.

Whether you’re a casual viewer or someone who enjoys analysing the finer details, having a clear grasp of how innings work can make the scoreboard and team strategies much more straightforward to follow. Test matches, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and T20s each approach innings differently, and this significantly shapes how the game is played.

In this blog post, we’ll explain what an innings is, how many are played in each format, and how this affects the overall flow of a match. Read on to learn more.

What Does an Innings in Cricket Mean?

An innings is essentially a team’s turn with the bat while the other side delivers the ball and fields. Runs are scored, wickets are taken, and once the batting team’s turn is over, the roles reverse.

There are several ways this turn can end. Most commonly, it’s when a side loses enough players, uses up its allowed deliveries, or reaches a score that ends the match. Sometimes, a captain might even choose to end it early, depending on how things are going. In longer matches, factors like weather and time also come into play.

Since each format has its own set of rules, an innings might be a quick-fire burst of action or a drawn-out contest of attrition. Whatever the pace, each side’s innings contributes to the outcome, which is why this concept is so central to understanding cricket.

How Many Innings Are Played in Test Matches?

In the most traditional version of the game, each side gets more than one opportunity to bat. Matches span several days and can feature up to four innings in total—two for each team.

Because there’s room for more than just one go at the crease, teams have the chance to adjust plans mid-match. Captains have tactical options, like choosing when to end a batting turn before it’s naturally over. There’s also a scenario where one side can be asked to bat twice in a row if the gap in scores is wide enough—something that can drastically change how the match plays out.

Test matches don’t always use all four innings. Sometimes they wrap up early if a team pulls ahead decisively. And unlike shorter formats, a game can end without a clear winner if time runs out. On rare occasions, both teams finish with the exact same score, producing a very uncommon result.

Once the pace and structure are trimmed down for one-day matches, everything from innings management to scoring tempo shifts significantly.

How Many Innings Are There in One Day Internationals?

In ODIs, each team bats once, so there are two innings in the match. Every innings is capped at a maximum of 50 overs, which brings a clear rhythm to the day.

Fielding restrictions, known as Powerplays, shape how those overs are used. Teams weigh up steady accumulation against controlled aggression, often accelerating as wickets in hand allow. If rain intervenes, the Duckworth Lewis Stern method can adjust targets so that a fair chase remains possible. Most ODIs produce a win or a loss, though ties can happen, and a no result is declared if too few overs are bowled.

The innings break sits in the middle, giving the chasing team a fixed target to plan around. Strategy then becomes about timing the chase and reading conditions as light and pitch behaviour change.

How Many Innings Are in a T20 Match?

In the shortest mainstream format, things move quickly. Each team has just one chance to bat, and only 20 overs to make it count. That means two innings again, but this time packed into a match that often lasts just a few hours.

Because the number of deliveries is so limited, every decision is amplified. Batters look for scoring opportunities from the start, while bowlers aim to disrupt rhythm using variation and placement. In the early overs, only a few fielders are allowed outside the circle, creating chances for fast starts. After that, the game tightens, and tactics shift.

If the scores are identical at the end, some tournaments resolve it with an extra mini-contest to separate the teams. And throughout, each innings is shaped by phases, from a brisk beginning to a powerful finish, that determine the final result.

With only one shot per team, the T20 format puts even more weight on every single ball faced and bowled.

Why Do Innings Matter for Match Outcomes?

Innings create the framework teams must operate within, defining how many opportunities they get and how much time or how many deliveries they have to use those chances.

In formats like ODIs and T20s, the single-innings structure sets up a straight contest. The first team builds a score; the second team tries to surpass it. Choices revolve around scoring pace, player availability, and how to navigate the rules that affect field placement.

In Test matches, with each side batting twice, the possibilities multiply. Teams can recover from a rough start or push for stronger positions by shifting strategy between innings. Captains might decide to step away from the crease early to give their bowlers more time, or aim for a lead so commanding that the opponent is forced to bat again immediately. Since pitch conditions evolve over several days, the later innings tend to be more unpredictable, often favouring the bowlers.

Once you understand how many innings each format allows—and how those innings are structured—it becomes much more straightforward to follow team decisions, spot turning points, and recognise when a total is genuinely within reach.

Bet on Cricket Online at Mr Luck

If you’re following cricket closely and considering placing a bet, Mr Luck offers a licensed platform that follows UK regulations.

We cover a wide range of formats and tournaments, with markets that update as the action unfolds. Our site is built to make things clear, so you can stay informed throughout the match.

It’s straightforward to register, and once you’re in, you’ll find tools to help manage your activity, set limits, and take breaks when needed. These features are there to support you, and our team is available if you ever want to review your settings.

Feel free to visit Mr Luck and explore the range of betting markets we have available in a secure setting.

_{**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.}