Super Over in Cricket Explained
How the Super Over works to break ties in T20 and ODI cricket, the rules governing it, and famous examples from international cricket.
What Is a Super Over?
A Super Over is a one-over (6-ball) tie-breaker played after a T20 or ODI match ends in a tie. Each team nominates two batters and one bowler for their Super Over. The team batting second in the Super Over aims to score more runs than the team batting first in it. Wides and no-balls count (and must be re-bowled). Runs scored in the Super Over determine the match winner.
Super Over Rules
- Each team nominates 2 batters and 1 bowler for the Super Over.
- The team batting second in the original match bowls first in the Super Over.
- If 2 wickets fall, the Super Over innings is complete regardless of balls bowled.
- If the Super Over also ties, further Super Overs are played (or, in some competitions, the team with more boundaries in the original match wins).
- If a bowler bowled the final over of the original innings, they are not eligible to bowl the Super Over.
Famous Super Overs
The 2019 Cricket World Cup final between England and New Zealand is the most famous Super Over. Both teams scored 15 in their Super Overs, making it the only time in a World Cup final (or any ICC final) that a Super Over itself tied. England were declared the winner on boundary count — they had scored more boundaries across the entire match, including the Super Over.
Frequently asked questions
Who decides who bats first in the Super Over?
The team that batted second in the original match bats first in the Super Over. This mirrors the standard match convention — the team chasing has the advantage of knowing the target.
Can the same batter who batted in the main innings bat in the Super Over?
Yes — any eligible batter can bat in the Super Over, even players who batted earlier. The nominating captain chooses the two most appropriate batters for the pressure situation.
Has there ever been a Super Over in a Test match?
No — Test cricket has no tiebreaker. If a Test match ends in a tie (both teams score the same total and both are dismissed in their second innings), it is recorded as a tie — only the 12th tied Test in history.