Super Over

History

A Super Over was first used in 2008 in Twenty20 cricket, replacing the bowl-out method previously used to break a tie. The Super Over was introduced into One Day International (ODI) cricket at the 2011 Cricket World Cup, but it was not required.

For the following World Cup, a Super Over would be used only to decide the final in the event of a tie. Ties in other knockout-stage matches reverted to the previous rule, where the team with the better group-stage performance would advance. In 2017, the ICC introduced the Super Over for the knockout stages of that year's Women's Cricket World Cup and Champions Trophy.

The 2019 Cricket World Cup Final marked the first-ever ODI to be decided by a Super Over. After the two teams tied on runs in their Super Over, England was declared the winner over New Zealand through the controversial boundary count-back rule, which has since been replaced with the current rules.

The first "double" Super Over was played in the 2020 Indian Premier League T20 Match between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings. The first "double" Super Over in an international match was between Afghanistan and India in 2024.

The first "triple" Super Over was played in the Scotland Tri Series T20I Match between Nepal and The Netherlands on 16 June 2025.

Previous iterations and changes

If the teams have played a Super Over and it also ends in a tie, the original rules stated that the winner would be determined by one of the following methods:

• The total number of boundaries scored throughout the match and Super Over.
• The total number of boundaries scored throughout the match, excluding the Super Over.
• A boundary count-back conducted from the last ball of the Super Over. In the boundary count-back method, if both teams had scored the same number of boundaries, the final ball of the Super Over would be ignored, and the boundary count would be reassessed. If the teams remained tied, the second-to-last ball would also be excluded, and the process would continue until one team was ahead.

If the Duckworth–Lewis method had been used during the match, the Super Over would immediately be decided by the count-back criterion.

Previously, if a Super Over ended in a tie, the winner was first determined by the number of boundary sixes hit by each team across both innings. If still tied, the number of sixes hit in the main match was used as the deciding factor.

After the tied Super Over in the 2019 Cricket World Cup Final, which England won on boundary count, the ICC was criticised by many former cricketers and numerous fans for the use of such a controversial tie-breaker.

In October 2019, the ICC amended the rule:

• If a Super Over is tied in the group stage of a tournament, the match will be declared a tie.
• In knockout matches, the Super Over will be repeated until a winner is determined.
• In any bilateral series match, the Super Over will also be repeated until one team wins.

Each consecutive Super Over must take place five minutes after the previous one. The team that batted second in the previous Super Over will bat first in the next. Any batter dismissed in a previous Super Over is ineligible to bat again.

Rules

The International Cricket Council (ICC) states the official rules for Super Overs in the Standard Twenty20 International Match Playing Conditions, which have been in effect since 1 October 2012.

Each team selects three batters, and the team's Super Over innings ends if two of their batters are out. The team that batted second in the main match bats first in the Super Over, while the bowling team chooses the end to bowl from. If the Super Over is tied, it is repeated until a winner is determined, although some tournaments may instead conclude the match as a tie. Each consecutive Super Over must take place five minutes after the previous one. The team that batted last in the previous Super Over will bat first in the next, and any batter dismissed in a previous Super Over is ineligible to bat again.

Variations

In the 2014–15 season, the Big Bash League introduced a variation of the rules, allowing each team to use all ten wickets in their Super Over innings.

Scoring

A Super Over is not considered part of the main match; therefore, the runs scored and wickets taken during it are not added to a player's career statistics.

Example

The first-ever Super Over was used in a tied Twenty20 match between the West Indies and New Zealand on 26 December 2008. The West Indies scored 25/1 in their Super Over, while New Zealand replied with 15/2.

The Twenty20 match between New Zealand and the West Indies on 26 December 2008 ended in a tie after both teams completed their 20 overs.

:: - Daniel Vettori was the "nominated bowler" for New Zealand. :: - Chris Gayle and Xavier Marshall opened the "mini-innings". :: - Marshall was run out without facing a ball, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul similarly remained at the non-striker's end. :: - Gayle hit 25 runs off the 6 balls he faced. :The West Indies scored 25/1 from six balls in their Super Over. | access-date = 14 January 2009 :: - Sulieman Benn was the nominated bowler for the West Indies. :: - New Zealand opener Jacob Oram was caught on Benn's third "Super Over" delivery. :: - The third man in Ross Taylor hit a six but was then clean-bowled on the next ball. Oram's "Super Over" opening partner Brendon McCullum did not face a delivery. :New Zealand scored 15/2 (all out) from five balls in their Super Over. The West Indies thus won the Super Over.

Views on use

The Super Over is often used in the group stage of Twenty20 tournaments. Journalist Sambit Bal described this use as unnecessary outside of knockout stages, arguing that a tie is a satisfactory result for both teams and in terms of entertainment value. Former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson also criticised the practice after his team lost two matches by Super Overs in the Super Eight group stage of the 2012 ICC World Twenty20. After New Zealand's loss to England in the 2019 Cricket World Cup Final via a Super Over, New Zealand coach Gary Stead suggested that the ICC should have considered awarding the championship jointly to both teams rather than using a tiebreaker.

International matches decided by a Super Over

Men's One Day International

Main article: List of tied One Day Internationals

† England won due to having more boundaries in the match (26–17).

Men's Twenty20 International

Main article: List of tied Twenty20 Internationals

Women's One-Day International

Main article: List of tied Women's One Day Internationals

Women's Twenty20 International

Main article: List of tied Women's Twenty20 Internationals

References

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