Super Over Rules in Cricket: How Ties Are Broken in T20 and ODIs

A Super Over is a one-over eliminator used to decide the winner of a T20 or ODI match that is tied after the normal innings. Each team faces six balls (or fewer if wickets fall), and the team that scores more runs wins. If the Super Over is also tied, another Super Over is bowled — or, in some competitions, boundary countback is used.

Super Over Rules

• Each team sends two batters to face one over (six balls)
• If a team loses two wickets during the Super Over, the innings ends regardless of balls remaining
• The bowling team uses one bowler for the entire over
• Both batters and the bowler can be anyone from the squad — including those who were dismissed in the main innings
• If the Super Over is also tied, the team that hit more boundaries (fours + sixes) in the entire match wins in some ICC tournaments — boundary countback
• In others, multiple Super Overs are bowled until there is a winner

Choosing Batters and Bowler

Captains choose their best T20 power-hitters for the Super Over — typically the two batters who are in the best form or who have previous Super Over experience. The bowler is often a frontline death bowler with a yorker as the primary weapon. Coaches sometimes select different batters from those who batted last in the main innings to give a fresh pair who haven't been 'seen' by the opposition bowlers.

Most Famous Super Overs

England vs New Zealand — the Super Over was also tied, and England won on boundary countback having hit more fours and sixes in the match. It remains the most controversial finish in World Cup history and led the ICC to change the rule to multiple Super Overs.

The Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings have contested multiple Super Overs in the IPL, with Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni facing off in legendary encounters — a regular occurrence during their rivalry years in 2019 and 2021.

Boundary Countback — Is It Fair?

Boundary countback was criticised after the 2019 World Cup final because the team that made a fielding error (which resulted in overthrows and four extra runs) was declared the winner partly because of those extra boundaries. The ICC subsequently changed their tournament rules to use multiple Super Overs instead of boundary countback — meaning a Super Over is played until a winner is determined.

Strategy in a Super Over

• Team batting second (chasing) is considered to have a slight advantage — they know the target and can set their pace
• Bowlers usually aim for yorkers at the stumps — the risk of a waist-height full toss is a wide and a free hit
• Captains often choose to keep their best bowler back for the Super Over regardless of how many overs they've bowled
• Batters try to target the leg-side boundary early, as bowlers default to off-stump yorkers