Bowling Economy Rate in Cricket Explained
Economy rate measures how many runs a bowler concedes per over — learn how it is calculated, what values are good, and how it differs from wickets and averages.
What Is Economy Rate?
A bowler's economy rate is the average number of runs conceded per over bowled. It is one of three core bowling statistics — alongside bowling average and strike rate — and is particularly important in limited-overs formats where run restriction is as valued as taking wickets.
The Formula
Economy Rate = Total Runs Conceded ÷ Total Overs Bowled. If a bowler concedes 36 runs in 8 overs, their economy rate is 4.5. Note that partial overs are expressed as decimals — 8.3 overs means 8 full overs and 3 balls, which equals 8.5 overs for calculation purposes.
Economy Rate Benchmarks by Format
| Format | Good Economy | Excellent Economy |
|---|---|---|
| Test cricket | Under 3.0 | Under 2.5 |
| ODI cricket | Under 5.0 | Under 4.5 |
| T20 International | Under 7.5 | Under 7.0 |
Economy Rate vs Bowling Average
Bowling average measures the number of runs conceded per wicket taken. Economy rate measures runs conceded per over regardless of wickets. A bowler who concedes few runs even without taking wickets will have an excellent economy but a high average. A strike bowler who concedes runs but takes wickets regularly will have a low average but poorer economy.
Strike Rate for Bowlers
Bowling strike rate is the number of balls bowled per wicket taken. It is different from economy and tells you how often a bowler takes wickets. The ideal bowler combines low economy with low strike rate — taking wickets regularly without being hit.
Which Matters Most?
- In Test cricket, bowling average and strike rate matter most — wickets win Tests
- In ODIs, economy becomes increasingly important in the middle and death overs
- In T20 cricket, economy rate is often the primary measure of a specialist bowler
- All-round bowling impact is best assessed combining all three metrics
Notable Economy Rates
Among high-volume T20I bowlers, Sunil Narine and Rashid Khan have maintained career economies below 6.5 — exceptional for a format where 8.0 is average. In Test cricket, legendary bowlers like Glenn McGrath and Curtly Ambrose recorded career economies below 2.5 across thousands of overs.
Frequently asked questions
Do extras count in a bowler's economy rate?
Yes. Wides and no-balls are charged to the bowler's figures and are included in the runs conceded for economy rate calculation. Byes and leg byes are not charged to the bowler.
Can an economy rate be zero?
Technically yes — if a bowler bowls maidens exclusively in their spell. In practice, over enough overs in competitive cricket, an economy of zero is not sustained.
What is a maiden over?
A maiden over is an over in which no runs are scored off the bat (byes and leg byes are excluded). A bowler who bowls all maidens in a spell would have an economy rate of zero.