Cricket

Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of eleven players on a large oval field with a rectangular pitch in the center. One team bats while the other bowls and fields. The batting team scores runs by hitting the ball with a bat and running between two sets of wickets, or by hitting the ball to the boundary (four runs if it reaches the boundary on the ground, six if it clears it in the air). The bowling team tries to dismiss batters by hitting the wickets, catching the ball before it bounces, or through other legal methods such as leg before wicket (LBW).

The game is divided into innings, during which one team bats until a set number of overs is bowled or ten batters are out, depending on the format. Overs consist of six legal deliveries bowled from one end of the pitch. Common formats include short matches with limited overs and longer matches that can last multiple days. Basic rules require bowlers to deliver the ball with a straight arm, batters to stay within their crease, and fielders to follow positioning restrictions. Cricket combines strategy, endurance, and teamwork, with rules that balance patience, skill, and tactical decision-making.