Twenty20 cricket, sometimes referred to as Twenty-20, and shortened to T20, is a more rapid form of the game of cricket. At the pro level, it was originally brought out by the England and Wales Cricket Board, or ECB, in 2003, for the competition between these two countries.
In a T20 game, the 2 teams taking part will have only 1 innings each, and this innings is restricted to an upper limit of 20 overs. T20 cricket is recognised as being the highest form of cricket in terms of international and domestic levels by the International Cricket Council or ICC, along with 1st-calls and List A cricket.
A Game Which Concludes Far More Rapidly
A typical T20 game is finished in around 3 hours, which each teams’ innings lasting between 75 and 90 minutes and an interval of between 10 and 20 minutes being enjoyed. This is a lot shorter than any previous versions of the game, and is far closer to the time-span which other popular team-based sports enjoy. This is why it was created, and it is promoted as such for both spectators at the grounds and those who are able to view the game on their various devices.
T20 Cricket: a Very Popular Version of the Game
Since the game’s inception, it has enjoyed great success, and has gone on to spread around the world quite quickly. On the majority of international tours there will be a minimum of 1 T20 match, and all of the nations which play Test matches have a Domestic Cup competition as well.
The Format of T20 Cricket Games
The T20 match format can be described as a form of limited-overs cricket, involving 2 teams, each allowed a single innings, and the key factor for these games is that each of the participating teams will bat for a maximum amount of 20 overs.
General Rules for the Shortened Game
The general laws which apply to traditional cricket also govern T20 games, albeit with some exceptions, including:
- Each bowler has a maximum amount of bowls of only 1 5th of the total overs per innings. When the match is full and uninterrupted, this will be 4 overs.
- Should a bowler deliver a No Ball, by overstepping the popping crease, it will cost 1 run, and the next of this bowler’s deliveries will be designated as a free-hit. When this occurs, the batsman can suffer dismissal only through a run out, by hitting the bowl 2 times, handling the ball, or somehow obstructing the field.
A List of T20 Winners
The first ICC World T20 was played in 2007, in South African, and saw India win the match against the Pakistanis by 5 runs in the final game. Pakistan then went on to win the 2nd tournament, which took place in 2009, and the English took first place in 2010’s completion in the West Indies. This country won in 2012, and Sri Lanka took the tournament which was held in 2014.