It all started with Test cricket. Then we moved to ODIs before T20 cricket took everyone by storm.
If T20 cricket isn’t already the shortest, we’ve got even quicker formats in T10 and The Hundred. And now we have a new format ready to make its debut – Test Twenty.
Test Twenty? Yes, it’s a fusion of Test and T20I cricket.
Wait, but how does the Test Twenty format work?
Let’s see the details about the Test Twenty format here, including the rules.
Test Twenty Format: Rules
Since it’s a mixture of Test and T20I cricket, we’ll see shades of both formats.
20 Overs Per Innings
Just like Tests, the new format will have four innings per match. But the matches will last for a day, instead of five.
And the overs per match are capped at 80. That’s 10 fewer overs than a day’s play of a Test match consists of.
So, each innings will consist of 20 overs. That means each team gets to bat and bowl 40 overs per match.
Powerplay
Test Twenty has provision for one powerplay for each team in a match. The powerplay comprises four overs, like a T20I innings.
But when will the powerplay take place? At the start of the first innings, like T20Is?
Well, the batting team captain will decide when to take the powerplay. They can take it in the first innings or the second innings.
But if they don’t take the powerplay before the seventh over in the second innings, it automatically comes into effect between the seventh and tenth overs.
Will there be fielding restrictions? Of course! When the powerplay kicks in, only two fielders can be positioned outside the 30-yard circle.
Bowling Allocation
Unlike Tests or T20Is, teams must bowl with a fixed number of bowlers. Each team can use a maximum of five bowlers throughout a match.
So every bowler bowls four overs per innings?
Not really. While a bowler can bowl a maximum of eight overs throughout the match, they may not necessarily bowl four overs in the first and the second innings.
The captain can split the bowlers’ overs as per their team’s strategy. So if a bowler bowls three overs in the first dig, he can bowl five in the second innings.
Over Rate
Over rates are crucial in international cricket and so are in Test Twenty. The match referee will define a time limit within which teams need to bowl 20 overs per innings.
If teams don’t maintain the over rate, it will attract a five-run penalty. Along with that, the bowling team will lose one strategic timeout.
Extras
While wides (except for leg side and short-pitched deliveries) and free hits aren’t common in Tests, they will be applicable in Test Twenty, like T20s.
A wide delivery way outside off or leg will add a run and an additional ball to the batting team’s innings.
And what’s the free hit for? If a bowler oversteps or bowls a full toss above the waist or a short-pitched delivery above the head, it will be a no ball. And the no ball will result in a free hit for the batting side.
The bowlers will face more heat if they bowl three or more wides or no balls in a single over. This will gift three extra penalty runs to the batting side.
Must Read | Why are Wides Not Given in Test Cricket?
Early Collapse Clause
This is an interesting rule. If a team bowls out the opposition in less than 10 overs in the first innings, they will receive three additional overs for batting.
So if Team A cleans up Team B before the completion of the 10th over, they can bat for 23 overs in their first batting innings instead of 20. This clause only applies to the first innings of the match.
Follow-On
Teams can enforce the follow-on rule, which is exclusive to Tests. So, conceding a 200-plus run lead can result in a follow-on? Nope, there’s a tweak in the rule for Test Twenty cricket.
Instead of a 200-plus run lead required in Tests, the new format allows the follow-on for a lead of 75 or more runs. So, if the team batting second trails by 75 or more runs, the opponent can enforce a follow-on on them.
Also Read | List of Test Matches Won after a Follow-On
Match Results
Wins and losses are a given, like any other cricket match. Draws are possible as well. How?
A draw can happen in only one condition. If a team doesn’t lose more than four wickets in the fourth innings and bats out all 20 overs, the match will end in a draw.
If the team loses five or more wickets, then they can either win or lose the match based on the aggregate runs scored across both innings.
And is a tie possible? Very much like a T20 match. But even if the match ends in a tie, we can have a winner. The match will go into a Super Session.
Super Session? What’s that? It’s the Super Over version of Test Twenty, where teams will bat for an additional one over.
What if the Super Session ends in a tie? In that case, the total boundary count will come into the picture. The team with the most boundaries in the match will win the encounter (just like England won the 2019 Cricket World Cup!).
So that’s how the entire Test Twenty format works out. We will see a perfect blend of Tests and T20Is, with tactics and quick action at play.
Read Next | Can All Three Cricket Formats Coexist in the Future?
