Know About The 15 Rules Of Cricket 

Cricket is among the most-followed games globally. The sport has observed a significant increase over the last few decades and is played across more than 100 nations. It includes two squads of 11 participants each that contend against one another through hitting and throwing in diverse formats such as T20 Internationals, One-day Internationals, and Test matches. The International Cricket Council (ICC) acts as the worldwide governing authority that oversees the sport, including the operations of squads, championships, and individuals associated with it.

Cricket has been one such highly dominant activity when it comes to its fanbase and viewers in India. The game has built an excellent audience with its entertaining as well as competitive nature in many other countries, as well.

Rules and Regulations in Cricket

Cricket is characterized by a group of rules, which are flexible and have evolved through time. Still, the game maintains some basic yet fundamental principles that play a vital role in the smooth running of any cricket match.

15 Core Cricket Rules Described

Let’s explore 15 essential regulations in the game of cricket.

1. The match occurs on a field comprising a rectangular strip that is 22 yards in length and 10 feet wide.

2. The batting side comprises two players (batters) positioned at the striker’s and non-striker’s ends, respectively. The fielding team, however, must have 11 players distributed across the field, with one bowler at the bowling end.
3. The batting squad accumulates runs to set or pursue a run target. The fielding team obstructs the batting squad from gathering these runs.
4. A batter may only be declared out if— the ball strikes the stumps while he is batting, the ball hits the batter's leg when it is directly in front of the wicket (leg before wicket), the batter’s hit is caught instantly by a fielder, the batter’s bat hits the stumps while batting, the batter interferes with the field, the batter is stumped when out of the crease after the ball reaches the wicket-keeper, or if the batter fails to cross the crease while running for a run (run-out).
5. The bowler must guarantee that they deliver the ball without entirely crossing the crease and that the delivery doesn’t arrive at the batter above waist height. Breaching this results in a no-ball, which isn’t deemed a legitimate delivery; however, any runs scored are counted, and the batter gets a free hit, dismissible only by run-out.
6. If the bowler bowls another no-ball during a free hit, the free hit remains active until there’s a legitimate delivery.
7. The batting team must always have two players at either end and continue playing until all batters are out or they exhaust their allocated overs, depending on the format.
8. The first batting side establishes the run goal, which the second batting squad (the fielding squad) must chase as both sides alternate between batting and bowling.
9. The bowling squad must ensure that no bowler exceeds the permitted number of overs in shorter formats like T20Is and ODIs.
10. A substitute fielder may replace any player on the bowling team but isn’t allowed to bat or bowl. They may, however, act as wicketkeepers with the umpires' approval.
11. During powerplay overs, the fielding squad must position a limited number of players outside the 30-yard circle. Exceeding this limit leads to a no-ball penalty followed by a free hit on the next delivery.
12. Teams are granted a specified number of reviews to contest an umpire's decisions. If a team uses all its allowed reviews, it cannot question any further calls, and the referee’s judgment stands as final.
13. Both sides must comply with the field code of conduct. Violating these regulations could result in penalties like match fees or suspensions.
14. Players must accept the review decision as conclusive and are prohibited from disputing it further.
15. The team achieving the highest number of runs is declared the winner.