Super Over Rules in Cricket: How T20 and ODI Tiebreakers Work and Famous Super Over Matches
The complete guide to Super Over rules in T20 and ODI cricket — how the Super Over works, who bats and bowls, what happens if it ties, and the most famous Super Overs in cricket history.
A Super Over is the tiebreaker used in limited-overs cricket (T20 and ODI) when both teams score the same number of runs in their respective innings and a decisive result is required. Each team faces one over (6 legal deliveries) using two designated batsmen against one designated bowler from the opposition. The team scoring more runs in their Super Over wins the match. If the Super Over also ends in a tie, additional Super Overs are played (under post-2019 rules) until one team outscores the other. Super Overs are among cricket's most dramatic moments — a 50-over or 20-over contest reduced to a single high-stakes over.
How the Super Over Works
- Each team nominates 2 batsmen and 1 bowler before the Super Over begins
- The team batting first in the Super Over is the team that batted second in the main match
- The team that bowled second in the main match bowls first in the Super Over
- The over consists of 6 legal deliveries (wides and no-balls are extra deliveries, not included in the 6)
- If a batting side loses both wickets within the 6 deliveries, the innings ends regardless of remaining balls
- The team scoring more runs wins; if level again, another Super Over is bowled
- Standard match rules apply: a six clears the boundary rope, a four crosses the rope along the ground
- The same bowler may not bowl two Super Overs consecutively in successive ties
Super Over in T20 Cricket
Super Overs in T20 cricket have become relatively common at major tournaments, occurring multiple times each IPL season as franchises play up to 70+ matches. The T20 Super Over has produced some of cricket's most memorable individual performances — explosive batting on the most pressure-filled stage, with tournament qualification sometimes depending on a single over. Teams typically nominate their most powerful hitters and their most accurate death bowlers for the Super Over. The choice of who bats and who bowls is a significant tactical decision: teams must assess whether to prioritise batting firepower (possible run maximisation) or batting security (reducing risk of quick dismissal).
The 2019 World Cup Super Over
The most famous Super Over in history was the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup final between England and New Zealand at Lord's. New Zealand scored 15 from their Super Over (Martin Guptill and James Neesham batting, Jofra Archer bowling); England needed 16 from their Super Over but also scored 15, leaving the match tied again. Under the rules in place at the time, the match was decided by the boundary count for the entire match — England had 26 boundaries to New Zealand's 17 and were declared World Cup champions. This result was so controversial (many felt the boundary count was an inappropriate way to decide a World Cup final) that the ICC changed the rules: from 2020, a tied Super Over means another Super Over, repeated until someone wins.
Famous Super Overs in Cricket History
Beyond the 2019 World Cup, notable Super Overs include: the 2016 ICC World T20 final between West Indies and England at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, which ended with Carlos Brathwaite hitting four consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes — not a Super Over but a similar dramatic finish, as West Indies won in the final over rather than going to a Super Over. In the IPL, multiple Super Overs have decided league stage matches, with AB de Villiers' Super Over batting for Royal Challengers Bangalore against various opponents producing particularly spectacular results. The T20 Big Bash League in Australia has had multiple Super Overs per season, creating the format's most high-profile tiebreaker appearances in domestic cricket.
Frequently asked questions
What happens in a Super Over in cricket?
In a Super Over, each team faces one over (6 legal deliveries) using two designated batsmen against one designated bowler. The team that batted second in the main match bats first in the Super Over. If a team loses both wickets before the over is complete, their innings ends. The team scoring more runs wins the match. Under current ICC rules (post-2019), if the Super Over also ties, another Super Over is bowled, and this continues until one team wins.
When was the boundary count rule used in a Super Over?
The boundary count rule was used to decide the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup final at Lord's between England and New Zealand. Both teams scored 241 in the main match and 15 each in the Super Over. Under the rules then in place, England won because they hit more boundaries (26 fours and sixes) during the match than New Zealand (17). The ICC changed the rules after the final — since 2020, tied Super Overs in World Cup knockout games result in another Super Over rather than a boundary count.
Who decides who bats and bowls in a Super Over?
The fielding captain nominates their bowler for the Super Over before it begins. Both teams nominate their two batsmen before the Super Over starts. The nominations are made to the umpires, and the players cannot be changed after nomination except for injury. Teams typically choose their most destructive batting pair (maximising scoring potential) and their most accurate death bowler (minimising what the opposition scores). The tactical choice of who to use in a Super Over is one of the most high-pressure decisions a limited-overs captain makes.