Guide
Net Run Rate Explained, With Worked Examples
Quick Summary
- Net run rate is a team's scoring rate minus the rate at which it concedes runs, across a tournament.
- If a team is bowled out, it is counted as having faced its full quota of overs.
- It separates teams level on points in group tables.
- Late group games can turn into net run rate races, which changes how teams play.
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- Checked 7 Nov 2026
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Every tournament, there comes a moment when the commentators start talking about net run rate and half the country reaches for a calculator. Bangladesh fans know the feeling well, especially in the final round of a group stage when the Tigers need not just a win but a win by a certain margin. Net run rate looks complicated but is simple arithmetic. This article explains the formula, walks through an example, covers the all-out rule and explains why it matters for anyone following qualify markets.
The formula
The short answer: net run rate equals runs scored divided by overs faced, minus runs conceded divided by overs bowled, all added up across the tournament so far.
A positive net run rate means a team scores faster than it concedes. A negative one means the reverse. Overs are counted in balls, so 18.3 overs is 18 and a half overs, or 18.5 in the maths.
A worked example
Imagine a team has played two T20 matches. In the first it scored 160 for 6 in 20 overs and bowled the opposition out for 140 in 18 overs. In the second it scored 150 for 8 in 20 overs and conceded 151 for 4 in 19 overs.
| Runs | Overs | Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scored, both matches | 310 | 40 | 7.75 |
| Conceded, both matches | 291 | 39 (20 counted for the all-out) | 7.46 |
| Net run rate | +0.29 |
The all-out rule
Notice the second row. The opposition in match one was bowled out in 18 overs, but for net run rate they are counted as having faced the full 20. That is the all-out rule: a team bowled out is treated as having used its full quota of overs.
This makes bowling a side out especially valuable, and being bowled out especially costly. A team chasing a modest total quickly can boost its net run rate a lot; a team that collapses early hurts it more than the run total suggests. Rain-reduced matches use the revised overs, according to the tournament's playing conditions.
Why it matters in group tables
When teams finish level on points, net run rate often decides who goes through. That turns late group matches into races. A team might need to chase a target within a certain number of overs, or win by a certain margin, which changes how aggressively it bats.
For bettors, this means late group matches can behave unusually. A side that only needs to win may bat cautiously; a side that needs a big net run rate swing may take more risks. Our T20 World Cup betting guide covers how this affects to-qualify markets.
Net run rate and qualify markets
To-qualify or to-reach-a-stage markets settle on whether a team advances, and net run rate can be the deciding factor. Prices may swing ball by ball in the final group match as the net run rate picture changes.
If you bet on these markets, check the tournament's tie-breaker rules first; not every competition uses net run rate first, and some use head-to-head results. Keep stakes level and resist chasing late swings. The cricket betting hub lists our other tournament guides, and the follow-on rule article covers another rule that reshapes matches.
In three steps
How to work out net run rate in 3 steps
- 1Add up the totals
Sum runs scored and overs faced, and runs conceded and overs bowled, across all matches so far.
- 2Apply the all-out rule
Count any innings where a team was bowled out as the full quota of overs.
- 3Subtract the rates
Divide runs by overs for each side, then subtract the conceding rate from the scoring rate.