A cricket match can finish level after hours of play, yet still have a winner minutes later. That is the purpose of a Super Over: a short contest used to separate teams when an eligible limited-overs match ends in a tie. Each side gets up to six legal deliveries, and almost every ball can change the outcome.
The basic super over rules are simple, but questions about wickets, extras, batting order and a second tie can confuse viewers. Here is how this cricket tie breaker works under ICC international playing conditions and where competition-specific rules may differ.
What Happens When a Match Goes to a Super Over?
When both teams complete their innings with equal scores, a Super Over follows if the match regulations require one and conditions permit. Each side bats for up to one over. The higher score wins, regardless of wickets lost.
In international T20 cricket, the team that batted second in the original match bats first in the initial Super Over. Its opponents chase the target. Original totals do not carry forward: if both teams made 170, the tie breaker begins with a fresh score.
A Super Over can decide a tied T20 match or an ODI, but it is not automatically used in every domestic competition. Check the rules applying to the particular tournament.
How Many Balls and Wickets Are Allowed?
Six legal deliveries
Each side faces a maximum of six legal balls. A wide or no-ball adds the appropriate runs but does not count as one of those six, so the bowler must deliver another ball. Byes, leg-byes and runs completed by the batters can also increase the total.
The chasing innings ends as soon as the target is passed. There is no requirement to use all six balls after the winner is decided.
Two wickets end the innings
The super over wickets limit is two dismissals. When a side loses its second wicket, the innings ends immediately, even if deliveries remain. Captains therefore usually choose two opening batters and keep a third available. A side dismissed twice for 11 cannot send another batter out to reach 15.
Wickets are not a secondary scoring system. If one team makes 14 without loss and the other makes 15 for one wicket, the latter wins because it scored more runs.
Who Can Bat and Bowl?
Players eligible for the match may take part, including approved concussion replacements where applicable. Someone dismissed in the original innings may bat again in the first Super Over. A bowler who already completed four overs in the main T20 innings may bowl the tie breaker.
What If the First Super Over Is Also Tied?
Under current ICC rules, another Super Over is played if the first ends level. Further rounds continue until there is a winner, subject to weather, light and permitted playing time. There is no boundary-count tie breaker under this procedure.
The team batting second in the previous Super Over bats first in the next. A batter dismissed in any previous Super Over cannot bat in a later one. A bowler who delivered the immediately preceding Super Over cannot bowl the next.
These restrictions make selection tactical. A captain may keep an accomplished finisher available for another round and must have a second bowler ready. Crucially, being dismissed during the original match does not trigger the restriction; being dismissed during a Super Over does.
A Ball-by-Ball Example
Imagine Team A and Team B both finish a T20 match on 182. Team B batted second, so it takes the first Super Over. Its batters score 2, 4, 1, 6, 0 and 2 from six legal deliveries, reaching 15. Team A needs 16 to win or 15 to force another round.
Team A hits a four and a single, then receives a wide. The wide adds one run without using a legal ball. The next two legal deliveries bring six and two, leaving Team A on 14 after four legal balls. A single from the fifth levels the scores at 15; another single from the sixth wins the match.
This is why the legal-ball count matters just as much as the runs column. A wide is not a dot ball with a penalty attached: the extra delivery can transform the chase.
How Do Extras and Reviews Work?
Ordinary scoring rules largely carry over. Wides, no-balls and other permitted extras count towards the batting side’s Super Over total. A no-ball does not use up a legal delivery, and any applicable free-hit rule remains relevant. Fielding restrictions continue from the match conditions rather than restarting.
Where the Decision Review System operates under the applicable ICC procedure, each side has one unsuccessful player review per Super Over innings, independent of unsuccessful reviews in the original match.
Do Super Over Runs Count Towards the Main Score?
No. The two main innings remain tied on the scorecard, while the Super Over determines the winner. Its runs and wickets are recorded separately, not added to the players’ ordinary innings figures. A batter scoring 40 in the match and 12 in the tie breaker has not made 52 in the main innings.
This separation helps when comparing scorecards and batting records. Another useful related topic is how the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method works, particularly for matches affected by rain.
What If Rain Prevents the Super Over?
Weather, bad light or unavoidable time limits can prevent a Super Over from being started or completed. If the necessary tie breakers cannot be finished, the match may remain tied under ICC rules. A particular tournament’s regulations determine the practical consequences, such as points or knockout procedures.
A tie differs from a no-result. When an interrupted match does not meet the minimum conditions for a result, it may be a no-result instead. The difference between a tie and a no-result in cricket deserves separate attention when reading tournament tables.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a batter play in two Super Overs?
Yes, if the batter remains eligible and has not been dismissed in any previous Super Over. A batter who stayed not out may return; someone dismissed in an earlier Super Over cannot.
Can the same bowler bowl consecutive Super Overs?
No. Under the ICC procedure, a bowler who delivered the previous Super Over cannot bowl the next one. A different bowler must be selected.
Does a no-ball count among the six deliveries?
No. A no-ball does not use one of the six legal deliveries. Applicable runs are added and the over continues, with free-hit provisions determined by the match conditions.
Did the 2019 World Cup final use different rules?
Yes. England won the 2019 men’s ODI World Cup final against New Zealand after a tied Super Over through the boundary-count rule then in force. ICC rules subsequently changed to require further Super Overs where circumstances allow.
The Rule to Remember
A Super Over is a fresh contest, not an extension of the original innings. Each side gets up to six legal balls, two wickets end its innings, and the higher run total wins. If it ends level, another round follows when conditions permit. Those fundamentals make even a frantic final over easier to understand.