Cricket vs Cricket T20 — Same Game, Different Rules

The cricket ball must be made of leather and have a prominent seam. Its specifications are strictly defined: Weight: Not less than 155.9 g (5½ oz) and not more than 163 g (5¾ oz).; Circumference: Not less than 22.4 cm (8 13/16 in) and not more than 22.9 cm (9 in).; Colour: Red for Test matches an...

Ball: white leather ball (4-piece construction) at international level; weight 5.5-5.75 oz (155.9-163 g); Bat: max 38" length × 4.25" width; willow blade; max thickness 67 mm edge, 60 mm depth; Pads: batting pads, thigh pads, arm guards, helmet with grille, abdominal guard, gloves

Cricket is played on a large, roughly oval-shaped grass field. The Laws of Cricket do not specify an exact outer boundary dimension, but ICC Playing Conditions impose minimum and maximum boundary distances for international matches.

Field: oval; boundary diameter typically 130-170 yards (120-155 m); Pitch: central 22 yards (20.12 m) strip of compacted earth/grass; Crease markings: bowling crease, popping crease (4 ft from stumps), return creases

A cricket match is played between two sides, each of eleven players. One player in each side is designated the captain.

11 players per side; Captain, wicket-keeper, batters, bowlers, all-rounders, fielders; Officials: 2 on-field umpires, 1 TV (third) umpire, 1 reserve umpire, 1 match referee

A match consists of one or two innings per side, depending on the format. In Tests, each side has two innings.

Two innings — each side bats once for 20 overs (or until all-out); Each over = 6 legal deliveries; each bowler max 4 overs per innings; Match target ~75-90 minutes per innings; total ~3-3.5 hours

The batting side accumulates runs by batsmen crossing the pitch between the wickets. After a stroke, both batsmen run toward the opposite end of the pitch, grounding their bats (or persons) behind the popping crease to complete a run.

Runs scored by: running between wickets (1, 2, 3 runs per ball typical) or boundaries (4 along the ground, 6 over the boundary on the fly); Extras: byes, leg-byes, wides, no-balls, penalty runs; Team total: sum of runs across innings (vs. wickets lost)

It is illegal to alter the condition of the ball by any method other than the natural polishing using accumulated sweat. Under Law 41.3.2, it is illegal to rub the ball on the ground; to pick or lift the seam; to use artificial substances; to chan...

Slow over-rate: fielding side penalized 5 runs to opponent per missed over; captain banned if persistent; Ball tampering: 5-run penalty to opponent + match-suspension fine for offender; Dissent / unsportsmanlike: match referee may issue suspension or match-fee deduction

The Laws of Cricket do not mandate individual protective equipment for batsmen and fielders (the Laws are a legal framework for play, not a safety code), but the ICC Playing Conditions and national boards impose specific requirements.

Following the death of Phillip Hughes (2014), helmet standards for batters facing fast bowling were upgraded to British Standard BS7928:2013 — neck-protector ("Stem Guard") strongly recommended. IC...