How Many Innings in Cricket? What Is an Innings Explained

Cricket can feel a little complex at first, and “innings” is one of those terms that keeps popping up. It sits at the heart of how every match unfolds.

This blog post breaks down what an innings is and how it works across Test matches, One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 (T20) games. You’ll also find what ends an innings, how declarations and the follow-on fit in, and how innings shape match results and betting markets.

Whether you’re learning the sport or following it with a view to placing a bet, understanding innings makes everything else easier to follow.

What Is An Innings In Cricket?

An innings is one team’s turn to bat and try to score runs while the other team bowls and fields. Batters come in one after another and keep going until certain conditions bring that turn to a close.

An innings ends when ten batters are out, when the set number of overs has been bowled in limited-overs formats, when the batting captain declares in longer formats, or when the chasing side reaches its target. The specifics shift by format, but the core idea is constant: one team builds a total, the other tries to keep that total down.

With the basics in place, it helps to see how this plays out in each format.

Innings In Test Matches

In Test cricket, each team has two innings, spread across up to five days. There is no fixed over limit. A side bats until ten players are out, the captain declares, the opponents win with time to spare, or the scheduled time runs out.

Because Tests allow two innings each, the order of play can change through tactics like the follow-on, and match management is a major part of the captain’s role. If all four innings are not completed by the end of day five, the game is a draw. If both teams finish with the same total and all innings are completed, it is a tie, which is rare.

Shorter formats take a different approach by capping the length of each innings.

Innings In One-Day Internationals (ODIs)

In ODIs, each team has one innings of up to 50 overs. The first team sets a total within those overs or until they are all out. The second team then bats to chase that target.

If weather affects play, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method may adjust the number of overs and the target so the game can still produce a result. Once the chasing side reaches the target, their innings ends immediately.

T20 pushes this time limit even further.

Innings In Twenty20 (T20) Matches

In T20 cricket, each team has a single innings of up to 20 overs. It is a condensed format where every over matters, and teams often take more risks to maximise scoring within the short window.

The chasing side’s innings ends as soon as it passes the target. If both teams finish level, some competitions use a Super Over to decide a winner.

So, how long can an innings last? That depends entirely on the format.

How Many Overs Are In An Innings?

It varies by format. T20 matches allow 20 overs per innings, and ODIs allow 50. Test cricket has no over limit, so innings length is governed by dismissals, declarations, and time.

Bad weather can reduce overs in limited-overs cricket, with DLS adjusting targets when needed, but the principles of one side setting or chasing a score stay the same.

What Causes An Innings To End?

Several events can close an innings:

• Ten out of eleven batters are dismissed, leaving no further pair to continue.
• The innings reaches its over limit in T20s and ODIs.
• The chasing side reaches the target score in limited-overs cricket.
• The captain declares the innings closed in longer formats.
• Time expires in a multi-day match, or external factors such as weather make further play impossible.

These endings can be tactical, forced by the opposition, or shaped by conditions. One of them is entirely a captain’s choice.

What Is A Declaration And When Is It Used?

A declaration is when the batting captain ends the innings early, almost always in Test cricket. It is a strategic decision, typically made after posting a strong total, to leave enough time to bowl the opposition out twice.

Captains weigh up the pitch, the weather forecast, the time left, and the state of the game before declaring. Declarations do not apply in ODIs or T20s, where innings are capped by overs.

That tactical layer leads neatly to another long-format rule that can change the order of play.

What Is The Follow-On And How Does It Affect Innings?

The follow-on applies in Test matches and some other long-format games. If the team batting second falls well short of the first team’s score in the opening innings, the first team’s captain can ask them to bat again immediately. In five-day Tests, the typical threshold is a 200-run deficit, though it can vary in shorter first-class matches.

Enforcing the follow-on aims to press home an advantage, especially if time or weather might squeeze the remaining days. It puts the batting side straight back in, under pressure to amass a competitive total without a break.

With those rules in mind, it becomes clearer how innings totals decide who wins.

How Do Innings Affect The Match Result?

In T20s and ODIs, both teams complete one innings. The higher total wins, and if the scores are level, the result is a tie. Some competitions then use a Super Over to separate the teams.

In Tests, both teams usually bat twice. The winner is the side with the higher combined total, provided they dismiss the opposition in the final innings. If time runs out before that happens, it is a draw. If the totals are identical after all innings are complete, it is a tie.

Why Innings Matter For Cricket Betting?

Innings shape the whole flow of a match, which in turn affects the markets people will see. Examples include total runs in an innings, first-innings lead in Tests, or outcomes influenced by a declaration or the follow-on.

Understanding how overs, wickets in hand, and game state interact can help anyone who chooses to bet follow matches more clearly and make informed choices. Always use licensed operators, keep spending within personal limits, and view betting as optional, not essential.

Common Innings Terms You Need To Know

Having a handle on key terms makes following cricket and related bets much clearer. Here are a few helpful ones:

• Innings: A team’s turn to bat and score runs while the other bowls and fields.
• Overs: A set of six deliveries bowled by one player.
• Declaration: When a captain chooses to end the team’s batting before all players are out.
• Follow-on: When the team batting second is asked to bat again straight away in long-format matches.
• All out: When ten out of eleven batters are dismissed, ending the team’s innings.
• Draw: A match outcome where the result is not decided within the allotted time, often seen in Test matches.

If you choose to place any bets, do so within your own limits and only with licensed operators. If gambling starts to affect your well-being or your finances, seek support early. Independent organisations such as GamCare and GambleAware offer free, confidential help for anyone who needs it.

With the essentials of innings clear, the rhythms of a cricket match make far more sense, whether you are watching casually or keeping an eye on the scoreboard.