How to Calculate Net Run Rate in Cricket
A step-by-step guide to calculating Net Run Rate (NRR) in cricket — with examples showing how all-out innings, partial matches, and rain-affected games are handled.
The Basic NRR Formula
Net Run Rate = (Total Runs For ÷ Total Overs Faced) − (Total Runs Against ÷ Total Overs Bowled). 'Runs For' is every run the team scored across all group matches; 'Runs Against' is every run scored against them. Overs are the actual overs for completed-overs innings, but full allotment for all-out innings.
Step-by-Step Example
NRR Calculation — Three Group Matches
Match 1: Score 165/6 in 20; Concede 160/8 in 20. Match 2: Score 200/4 in 20; Concede 180 all out in 17. Match 3: Score 140 all out in 18.2; Concede 141/5 in 19. Runs For: 165 + 200 + 140 = 505. Overs Faced: 20 + 20 + 20 = 60 (Match 3 — all out, so full 20 count). Scoring rate: 505 ÷ 60 = 8.42. Runs Against: 160 + 180 + 141 = 481. Overs Bowled: 20 + 20 + 19 = 59 (Match 2 — all out in 17, but we bowled them, so actual 17 overs count). Conceding rate: 481 ÷ 59 = 8.15. NRR = 8.42 − 8.15 = +0.27.
All-Out Innings Rules
- If YOUR TEAM is all out, use the FULL ALLOCATED overs (e.g. 20 in T20) in the denominator for overs faced
- If YOUR OPPONENTS are all out, use the ACTUAL overs bowled (e.g. 17) in the denominator for overs bowled
- This asymmetry means bowling the opposition out cheaply is rewarded — you record fewer overs bowled against a smaller run total
Rain-Affected Matches
If a match is reduced by rain, the DLS par score and revised overs are used. For NRR purposes, the revised target is treated as the innings score for the team that didn't reach it, and the reduced overs allocation replaces the full 20/50.
Common NRR Mistakes
- Using actual overs when a team was all out (should use full allocation)
- Confusing overs bowled vs overs faced in the formula
- Forgetting to accumulate across all group matches — NRR is cumulative, not per match
- Applying match-by-match NRR instead of the tournament aggregate
Frequently asked questions
If I score 200 in 18 overs and am not all out, do I use 18 or 20 for the NRR denominator?
If you are NOT all out (e.g. you reached the target in 18 overs), you use the actual 18 overs — not 20. The full-allocation rule only applies when you are bowled out before completing the allotted overs.
Does a tied match count in NRR?
Yes. A tied match (or a match decided by Super Over) is completed and counts in NRR. The actual scores from the regulation innings are used; Super Over runs do not contribute to NRR.