Net run rate in cricket: formula and examples

The formula has two halves, and each one is an ordinary run rate. Work out each half from tournament totals, then subtract.

• NRR = (total runs scored ÷ total overs faced) − (total runs conceded ÷ total overs bowled).
• Overs must be decimals. 16.4 overs is 16 overs and 4 balls, or 16.667.
• To avoid converting overs, use balls: (runs × 6) ÷ balls for each half.
• Round only at the end. Most tables show NRR to three decimal places.

Most NRR mistakes come from the wrong overs figure. A team that's bowled out is treated as if it batted its full quota, so all out for 128 in 18.3 overs counts as 128 from 20. A team that wins a chase is credited with only the overs it needed, which is why a quick chase lifts NRR so much.

Team A makes 175 for 5 in 20 overs and holds Team B to 160 for 7. A's run rate is 8.75 and B's is 8.00, so A gets +0.750 from the match and B gets −0.750. Now take a fast chase. A team bowls the opposition out for 150 and reaches 151 in 15 overs. It scored at 10.07 and conceded 7.50, which is +2.567 from one game. Winning a chase with overs to spare lifts NRR far more than winning by the same margin batting first.

Tournament NRR is worked out once, from the totals across every completed match. Here's Team A over three group games. It wins the first two and loses the third heavily after being bowled out.

Team A scored 446 runs from 56.667 overs, a rate of 7.871. It conceded 431 from 54 overs, a rate of 7.981. Its tournament NRR is 7.871 − 7.981, which is −0.111. Two wins from three and still negative, because the defeat came quickly and A was bowled out. Level on points with a side on a positive NRR, A ranks lower.

1. 1

   Step 01

   Runs for: 175 + 143 + 128 = 446.

2. 2

   Step 02

   Overs faced: 20 + 16.667 + 20 = 56.667.

3. 3

   Step 03

   Runs against: 160 + 142 + 129 = 431.

4. 4

   Step 04

   Overs bowled: 20 + 20 + 14 = 54.

5. 5

   Step 05

   NRR: (446 ÷ 56.667) − (431 ÷ 54) = 7.871 − 7.981 = −0.111.

Each match covers a different number of overs, so a simple average gives short matches the same weight as full ones. In the example the three match figures are +0.750, +1.480 and −2.814. Their average is −0.195, while the correct tournament figure is −0.111. Add up the runs and overs first, then divide once.

When a match is shortened, each innings counts over the overs it was allotted, so a 12-over game goes in as 12 overs a side. Matches decided by DLS follow extra rules in that competition's playing conditions, which usually credit the side batting first with a figure based on the revised target or par score. Abandoned matches with no result are left out of NRR, although their points still count. If NRR matters for a bet, check the tournament's own rules for rain-hit games.

NRR comes into play late in group stages, when several teams can finish on the same points. In most competitions, including ICC events and the IPL, it's one of the first tie-breakers once points are level, although some check wins first. That makes it worth watching for outright and to-reach-the-semi-finals markets on the T20 World Cup and other tournaments.

• Check the points table and NRR before the last round of group games.
• Work out what margin or chase speed a team needs to pass a rival on NRR.
• A side that needs a heavy win may bat more aggressively, which can push innings and session lines up.
• Rain in a decisive fixture changes the picture. Read the rules for shortened and abandoned matches.

• Using 16.4 as a decimal instead of 16.667.
• Using the overs actually faced for a team that was bowled out.
• Averaging match NRR figures instead of using tournament totals.
• Counting super over runs or a no-result match.
• Assuming more wins always means a better NRR. Team A above has two wins and a negative figure.

The run rate guide covers the single-innings formula and the required run rate in a chase.