Types of Bilateral Cricket Series: Test, ODI, and T20I Structures
Bilateral series — matches between just two nations — form the backbone of international cricket outside tournaments. This article explains the different types of bilateral series, how they are structured, and what makes one format's bilateral series different from another's.
What Bilateral Series Are
A bilateral series is a set of matches between two specific nations — the simplest structure of international cricket: unlike tournaments (which involve multiple nations) and world cups (which culminate in a winner-takes-all final), bilateral series are direct head-to-head competition between two teams; bilateral series include one or more Tests (for Test-playing nations), one or more ODIs, and one or more T20Is — sometimes all in the same tour, sometimes as separate tours; and the home nation hosts the bilateral series at their home grounds — the visiting team travels to the home nation for the entire series. Every international cricket tour produces a bilateral series, though the mix of formats within a tour varies significantly.
Test Series Structure
Test bilateral series range from 1 to 5 Tests in length: a one-off Test (a single Test match between two nations) is the minimum Test bilateral series — used for nations playing infrequent Tests (Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe), for commemorative or special occasions, or for time-constrained tours; a 2-Test series provides a minimum competition (one team can win the series 1-0 if the other match is drawn); and 3, 4, and 5-Test series are used for more prestigious bilateral encounters — the Ashes (England vs Australia) and India's home series against major nations are typically 4-5 Tests. The Test series result is determined by matches won (the team winning more Tests wins the series; if equal wins with draws, the series is drawn); the WTC adds a points layer on top of the series result for the overall cycle standing.
Limited-Overs Bilateral Series Structure
ODI and T20I bilateral series are typically 3-5 matches in length: a 3-match series is the minimum for a clear series result (2-1 wins possible without the awkward 1-1 draw of a 2-match series); 5-match series are common for the most commercially valuable bilateral matchups (India home bilateral vs England includes 5 ODIs in addition to Tests, for example); and some bilateral tours include both ODIs and T20Is in the same visit — a tour might include 3 Tests, 3 ODIs, and 3 T20Is across 6-7 weeks. The limited-overs bilateral series results are tracked separately from Tests — a team can win the Test series but lose both the ODI and T20I series in the same tour. ICC rankings for all three formats are updated based on bilateral series results — bilateral cricket is the primary source of ICC ranking points rather than tournament cricket.
Frequently asked questions
What makes the Ashes the most famous bilateral series?
The Ashes is cricket's most famous bilateral series for specific historical and cultural reasons: the series dates to 1882 (the 'death of English cricket' mock obituary after Australia's first win on English soil — the term 'Ashes' derived from this obituary); it is played between cricket's two oldest established Test nations (the first Test cricket played was England vs Australia in 1877); the Ashes holds the urn — a small terracotta urn containing what is traditionally said to be the ashes of a cricket bail — as a physical trophy that is the most recognisable symbol in Test cricket; and both nations retain enormous public interest in the Ashes compared to their interest in series against other nations — Ashes series in England produce significantly higher television audiences than England vs any other nation. The historical depth of the rivalry, the physical trophy, and the cultural significance in both countries combine to make the Ashes distinctly different from other bilateral series.
Do bilateral series results affect ICC rankings?
Yes — bilateral series are the primary input for ICC Test, ODI, and T20I rankings: each match in a bilateral series produces a rating points change for both nations (the team that wins gains rating points from the losing team; the magnitude depends on the current rating difference — beating a higher-ranked team produces more points than beating a lower-ranked one); the series result as a whole (who won the series) is reflected in the cumulative match results; and ICC rankings are updated after every bilateral series. The WTC adds an additional points layer specifically for Test bilateral results — bilateral Test series results feed into both the ICC Test rankings (for player and team ratings) and the WTC standings (for qualification to the WTC Final).
Can bilateral series be played at neutral venues?
Yes — bilateral series at neutral venues occur in specific circumstances: when a nation cannot host due to security concerns (Pakistan played many bilateral 'home' series at neutral venues in the UAE between 2009 and 2019, when security concerns prevented international tours to Pakistan directly); some tournament or cup bilateral finals are played at pre-agreed neutral venues; and the WTC Final is specifically a neutral venue bilateral (England is the neutral venue for the first WTC Finals — neither finalist's home ground). Neutral venue bilateral series change the home-ground advantage fundamentally — neither team has the familiar pitch, home crowd, or home conditions advantage; the neutral bilateral is specifically equitable in conditions even if not fully equitable in other respects (travel distance, broadcasting revenue distribution, etc.).