Tied Matches in Cricket — The Rarest Outcomes in the Sport
How rare ties are in cricket, the most famous tied matches in history, and what a tie means across different formats.
A tied cricket match — where both teams finish with exactly the same score with no wickets in hand or overs remaining — is extraordinarily rare. In limited-overs cricket a tie can be resolved by a Super Over. In Test cricket a tie is one of only four possible results (win, loss, draw, tie), but it requires a team to be all-out for exactly the same score as the opposition's total — a statistical precision that has occurred only twice in Test history.
The Two Tied Tests
Test cricket has produced exactly two tied matches in its entire history. The first was between Australia and West Indies in Brisbane in 1960 — an extraordinary match in which Australia, needing 233 runs, were all-out for 232, equalling the West Indies score. Joe Solomon ran out Ian Meckiff from square leg with the last ball to produce the tie. The second tied Test was between Australia and India in Chennai (then Madras) in 1986 — India needing 348 in the final innings scored 347 all-out.
The Super Over Tie-Breaker
In limited-overs cricket, when both teams score the same number of runs in their allotted overs and both innings are complete, it is declared a tie. Under current ICC rules (updated after the 2019 World Cup final), if a match is tied in the main innings, a Super Over is bowled. If the Super Over is also tied, another Super Over is played. This continues until one team scores more. There is no longer a boundary count resolution in ICC tournaments.
Why Ties Are So Rare
For a match to tie in limited-overs cricket, a team must score exactly the same number of runs as their opponent — with no runs to spare. Given that totals regularly reach 150-200+ in T20s and 250-350 in ODIs, the statistical probability of an exact tie without a wicket or over to spare is very small. Most close finishes end in a 1-2 run victory rather than an exact tie. Even in Test cricket where both teams bat twice and totals accumulate over five days, only two exquisite coincidences of exact score-matching have occurred in over 2,000 Test matches.
Frequently asked questions
Is a tied Test different from a drawn Test?
Yes — completely different. A draw occurs when the match ends with neither team winning (time runs out). A tie occurs when both teams are all-out for the exact same total score.
Can a T20 match end in a tie without a Super Over?
A T20 match ends in a tie only when a Super Over is not possible (e.g., bad weather preventing it). In ICC tournaments, Super Overs are always played when possible.
What is a 'tie' vs a 'no result'?
A tie means both teams completed their innings and finished level. A no result means the match could not be completed (usually due to weather) with no valid result possible.