Ayesha Khan

Twenty20 cricket. Content Warning. AI-Generated.

The basic rules are the same as for the longer versions, but innings are limited to 20 overs a side (an over comprises six balls delivered, or thrown, by a bowler to a batsman at the opposite wicket), with a maximum of four overs for each bowler and restrictions on the placement of fielders designed to encourage big hitting by the batters and high scores. In a short time, T20 became the most popular and lucrative form of cricket, particularly in India, where huge crowds attend matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and millions more watch on television. A shortened form of cricket known as Cricket Max was developed in New Zealand in the 1990s by the former Test batsman Martin Crowe, but the official rules for T20 were established by the England and Wales Cricket Board, and the first tournament was played by the English county teams, in 2003.