One-Day International (ODI)
Also known as: one day international, one-day international, ODI, ODI cricket, fifty-over cricket, one-day cricket
A one-day international is an international match where each team bats once, for up to 50 overs. Each bowler can bowl no more than 10 overs. The fielding side is limited to two fielders outside the 30-yard circle in overs 1 to 10, four in overs 11 to 40 and five in overs 41 to 50. A tie is settled by a Super Over.
ICC playing conditions set the format. Each side has one innings of up to 50 overs. A side bowled out earlier ends its innings there. No bowler may bowl more than 10 overs. In a match shortened by weather, each bowler can bowl one-fifth of the overs. For a result, both sides must have had the chance to bat for at least 20 overs, unless one side is bowled out first or the chase is completed sooner. Otherwise the match is a no result. If the scores are level, a Super Over decides it, repeated until there is a winner.
Each fielding side uses two new balls, one from each end, for overs 1 to 34. After over 34 it picks one of the two balls for the rest of the innings. In a match cut to 25 overs or fewer before it starts, each side uses one new ball.
The three powerplays control how many fielders can stand outside the 30-yard circle: two, then four, then five. In shortened matches each phase is reduced in proportion. A breach is a no ball, and the next delivery is a free hit.
Batting in a 50-over game is about pacing. Use the first powerplay to score while the field is up. Rotate the strike through the middle overs, when boundaries are harder to find. Keep wickets in hand so the last ten overs can be used to accelerate.
Tips by skill level
Break a 50-over innings into three phases: overs 1 to 10, 11 to 40 and 41 to 50. Set a simple run target for each phase.
Plan your bowlers' 10-over quotas before the match. Keep overs back from your best death bowlers for the final powerplay, when five fielders can patrol the boundary.
Example
Chasing 290, the openers score freely in the first ten overs with only two fielders out, then rotate the strike through the middle overs before the finishers attack in the last ten.
Why it matters
The one-day format sits between Test and T20 cricket. Knowing its rules and phases helps you pace an innings and plan a bowling attack.
Common mistakes
- Batting at T20 pace from the first ball and losing early wickets
- Letting the middle overs drift with too many dot balls
- Bowling one bowler out early and leaving weaker options for the death overs
- Forgetting how many fielders are allowed outside the circle in each powerplay
Frequently asked questions
How many overs are in an ODI?
Up to 50 per side. Each team bats once, and a team bowled out earlier ends its innings there.
How many overs can a bowler bowl in an ODI?
Ten. In a match shortened by weather, each bowler can bowl one-fifth of the total overs.
What are the powerplays in ODI cricket?
Overs 1 to 10 allow two fielders outside the 30-yard circle, overs 11 to 40 allow four, and overs 41 to 50 allow five. The phases shrink in proportion in a shortened match.
How should I pace my batting in a 50-over game?
Score while the field is up in the first ten overs, rotate the strike through the middle overs, and keep wickets in hand to attack in the last ten.
Sources
- ICC Men's ODI Playing Conditions (effective Oct 2026), clause 4.3 (New ball: two balls for overs 1-34, one for the rest), p. 11
- ICC Men's ODI Playing Conditions (effective Oct 2026), clause 13.6.1 (one innings per side, maximum 50 overs), p. 20
- ICC Men's ODI Playing Conditions (effective Oct 2026), clause 13.9 (Number of overs per bowler), p. 23
- ICC Men's ODI Playing Conditions (effective Oct 2026), clauses 16.1.2-16.1.3 and 16.3.1.1 (minimum 20 overs for a result; Super Over for a tie), pp. 23-24
- ICC Men's ODI Playing Conditions (effective Oct 2026), clause 28.7.2 (Powerplays 1-3 and reduced-overs table), pp. 47-49
Related terms
- PowerplayA powerplay is a set of overs in limited-overs cricket when the fielding side may have only a few fielders outside the 30-yard circle. In T20 internationals the first six overs allow two fielders outside it. In one-day internationals, overs 1 to 10 allow two, overs 11 to 40 allow four and overs 41 to 50 allow five. Other competitions can set their own versions, so check your playing conditions.
- T20 FormatT20 (Twenty20) cricket is the shortest mainstream format of the game — each side bats for a maximum of 20 overs — producing fast-paced, high-scoring matches usually completed in under three hours.
- Test CricketTest cricket is the oldest, longest, and most prestigious format of the sport — played over up to five days between two national teams, with each side receiving two innings and ten wickets to be dismissed.
- Super OverThe super over is a tie-breaking mechanism in limited-overs cricket — if scores are tied at the end of a match, each team bats one final over of six balls to determine the winner.
- Death OversThe death overs are the final overs of a limited-overs innings, usually overs 17–20 in T20 or 41–50 in one-day cricket. Batters chase runs and bowlers try to limit them.
- Free HitA free hit is the delivery after a no ball in one-day and T20 international cricket. On a free hit the batter can only be out run out, hit the ball twice or obstructing the field. As a result, they cannot be bowled, caught, LBW or stumped. The fielding side may not change the field unless the batter on strike changes. If the free hit is itself a wide or no ball, the next ball is also a free hit.
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