How to Read a Cricket Scoreboard: A Complete Beginner's Guide
Cricket scoreboards can look complex at first glance. This guide teaches you how to read every element — runs, wickets, overs, extras, and individual batting and bowling figures.
The Basic Scoreboard Display
A cricket scoreboard typically shows: (1) Team name and innings number; (2) Total runs scored; (3) Wickets fallen; (4) Overs bowled; (5) Run rate (runs per over). Written as '247/6 (43.2 ov)' — this means the batting team has scored 247 runs, lost 6 wickets, and have faced 43 overs and 2 balls. The run rate is 247 / 43.33 = approximately 5.70 runs per over.
Reading Batting Figures
Individual batting figures typically show: batter's name, runs scored, balls faced, fours (4s), sixes (6s), and strike rate. A line like 'Rohit Sharma: 65 (52) 4x4 2x6 SR 125.0' means Rohit scored 65 runs off 52 balls, hitting four boundaries and two sixes, at a strike rate of 125 (65 runs per 100 balls). Dismissed batters show their dismissal method — 'c Root b Archer 42 (38)' means caught by Root, bowled by Archer, 42 runs off 38 balls.
Reading Bowling Figures
Bowling figures are written as 'Wickets–Runs' (e.g., '4–32') or sometimes as 'O-M-R-W' (Overs-Maidens-Runs-Wickets). '10-2-32-4' means the bowler bowled 10 overs, 2 maiden overs (no runs), conceded 32 runs, and took 4 wickets. The economy rate (runs per over) of 3.2 is excellent in Test cricket. Their bowling average (runs / wickets) is 8.0 — exceptional.
Extras and Sundries
Extras appear as a separate batting entry: B (byes), LB (leg byes), W (wides), NB (no-balls), P (penalty runs). These are runs not credited to any batter — byes and leg byes go off the wicketkeeper or batter's body; wides and no-balls are bowler penalties. A total extras line of 'Extras: 12 (B4 LB3 W4 NB1)' means 4 byes, 3 leg byes, 4 wides, 1 no-ball adding 12 extra runs to the total.
Reading a T20 Scorecard
India 186/5 (20 ov) vs England: Rohit 62(38), Kohli 45(35), Hardik 33*(18). RR 9.30. England target 187. This tells you: India made 186 runs, lost 5 wickets, in 20 overs. Run rate 9.30. Rohit scored 62 off 38 balls, Kohli 45 off 35, Hardik was 33 not out off 18 balls when the innings ended. England need 187 to win.
Frequently asked questions
What does 247/6 mean on a cricket scoreboard?
247/6 means the batting team has scored 247 runs and lost 6 wickets. In Test cricket, the team has 4 more wickets remaining; in limited-overs cricket, they also have 4 more wickets.
What are extras in cricket?
Extras are runs not credited to any batter — they include byes, leg byes, wides, no-balls, and penalty runs. They are bowled by the fielding team but add to the batting team's total.
What does DNB mean on a cricket scorecard?
DNB stands for 'Did Not Bat' — a batter listed in the team who did not get to bat in that innings, typically because the team's innings ended before their turn arrived.