The Over in Cricket Explained: Six Balls, Simply Put
Published on September 25, 2026
Summary Overview: What is an over in cricket? This beginner's guide explains the six-ball over, maidens and how bowlers work, plus famous last overs like Javed Miandad's 1986 six.
How Many Balls Are in a Cricket Over, and Why?
What is an over in one sentence?
An over is a set of six legal deliveries (balls) bowled by one bowler from one end of the pitch.
Why does the over matter?
The over is the basic building block of an innings. Every format measures its length in overs, and much of cricket's tactics and drama play out over by over.
Can an over have more than six balls?
Yes. Illegal deliveries like wides and no-balls have to be re-bowled, so an over can sometimes take more than six actual balls to complete.
What Is an Over?
If runs and wickets are cricket's currency, the over is its heartbeat. An over is simply a group of six legal deliveries bowled by a single bowler from one end of the pitch. Once those six balls are done, the umpire calls "over," and the action switches to the other end.
Everything in cricket is counted in overs. A T20 innings is 20 overs, an ODI innings is 50 overs, and even a scoreboard entry like "185/6 (20 overs)" is telling you how many overs a team used. Understanding the over is the first step to understanding the shape of any match.
Why Six Balls, and What Counts
An over is complete only after six legal deliveries. That word "legal" is important, because not every ball counts.
If a bowler bowls a wide (too far from the batter to hit) or a no-ball (an illegal delivery, such as overstepping the line), that delivery does not count as one of the six. The batting team is given a run, and the ball must be bowled again. This is why you will sometimes see an over that seems to go on and on: a bowler struggling with wides and no-balls has to keep re-bowling until they complete six legal balls.
Changing Ends and Bowlers
Two rules about overs often surprise newcomers.
First, after every over, the bowling switches to the opposite end of the pitch. So the fielders and the batters at each end effectively swap roles for the next over. That is why you hear commentators talk about bowling from a particular "end," each named after that part of the ground.
Second, a bowler is not allowed to bowl two overs in a row. A different bowler must bowl each consecutive over, which is why teams rotate several bowlers through an innings. The formats also cap how much one bowler can send down: a maximum of four overs each in a T20, ten overs each in an ODI, and no limit at all in a Test match.
The Maiden Over
One term you will hear a lot is the maiden over. It is a badge of honour for a bowler.
A maiden is an over in which the bowler concedes no runs off the bat. Six good balls, zero runs given away. Even better is a wicket-maiden, which is a maiden over in which the bowler also takes a wicket. In the run-heavy modern game, a maiden over is a real sign of pressure applied.
Overs You Will Hear Named
As you watch more cricket, certain overs get special names:
- Powerplay overs: the early overs of a limited-overs innings, when fielding restrictions encourage fast scoring.
- Death overs: the last few overs of an innings, when batters swing hard and the pressure on bowlers is at its highest.
- The final over: the last over of an innings or a chase, which, as the stories below show, can produce some of the most unforgettable moments in the sport.
Famous Last Overs in Cricket History
Nothing in cricket is quite as tense as a match that comes down to the final over. Here are some of the most iconic last overs the game has ever seen.
Javed Miandad's Last-Ball Six (1986)
This is perhaps the most famous final ball in cricket history. In the 1986 Austral-Asia Cup final at Sharjah, Pakistan needed four runs off the very last ball to beat their great rivals India, with nine wickets already down and the legendary Javed Miandad on strike.
Facing India's Chetan Sharma, Miandad watched an intended yorker arrive as a full toss and launched it high over the leg side for a six, winning the match on the final delivery. Miandad finished unbeaten on 116, and the moment turned him into a national hero. It was the first time an international match had ever been won with a last-ball six, and fans still talk about it decades later.
Carlos Brathwaite's Four Sixes (2016)
Fast forward to the 2016 T20 World Cup final between the West Indies and England. The West Indies needed a huge 19 runs from the final over, bowled by England's Ben Stokes, and it looked all but impossible.
Then Carlos Brathwaite stepped up and smashed the first four balls of the over for six, six, six and six, sealing the title in the most dramatic fashion. The commentary line "Remember the name" became instantly iconic, a perfect example of how a single over can decide a world title.
Joginder Sharma Holds His Nerve (2007)
In the very first T20 World Cup final in 2007, India and Pakistan went right to the wire. With Pakistan needing just 13 runs from the last over, India's captain gambled by handing the ball to the little-known Joginder Sharma.
Under enormous pressure, Sharma held his nerve. With Pakistan closing in, Misbah-ul-Haq attempted an audacious scoop shot and was caught, handing India victory by five runs and their first T20 world title. It showed that a last over can be won with cool heads as well as big hitting.
The Super Over That Stunned the World (2019)
Sometimes an entire over exists just to break a tie, and none has ever been more dramatic than the one at the 2019 World Cup final. England and New Zealand finished level after 50 overs each, both on 241, which forced a one-over-per-side shootout called a Super Over to decide the champions.
England batted first in the Super Over and set 15. New Zealand then needed 16 from their over, bowled by Jofra Archer, and the tension was almost unbearable. They reached the final ball needing two runs to win, but Martin Guptill was run out going for the second, leaving the Super Over itself tied at 15 apiece. England were crowned world champions by the finest margin imaginable, having hit more boundaries across the match. It is still regarded as the most extraordinary finish the sport has ever produced.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many balls are in a cricket over?
Six legal deliveries, though wides and no-balls are re-bowled and do not count towards the six.
Can a bowler bowl two overs in a row?
No. A different bowler must bowl each consecutive over, from the opposite end.
What is a maiden over?
An over in which the bowler concedes no runs off the bat. If a wicket also falls, it is called a wicket-maiden.
How many overs can one bowler bowl?
A maximum of four in a T20 and ten in an ODI. In Test cricket there is no limit.
What was Javed Miandad's famous six?
A last-ball six off Chetan Sharma in the 1986 Austral-Asia Cup final, which won the match for Pakistan against India.
How was the 2019 World Cup final decided?
After the match and the Super Over both finished tied, England were crowned champions for hitting more boundaries across the final.
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