What is NRR (Net Run Rate) in ODIs and T20 Cricket matches…?

    India lifted the ICC Cricket World Cup 1983


What is NRR (Net Run Rate) in ODIs and T20 Cricket matches…?


- Harish Jharia


In the cricket test matches there is no surety about the results of the matches played between two teams. Many times the matches end in draws and rendered inconclusive in cases of abandonment of matches. Eventually the entire series might end in a draw. On the other hand in case of ODIs and T20 matches they are played between two or more teams like tournaments. The currently ongoing ICC cricket world cup match is also a tournament where the ICC cannot afford to declare matches inconclusive and are bound to declare the winner of the world cup for awarding the same to the team who plays its best in all departments and unambiguously declared the winner. 

A Typical Score Chart of a Cricket Tournament

Teams	P	W	L	NR	T	Points	NRR
India	1	1	0	0	0	2	+1.74
South Africa	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0.00
England	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0.00
West Indies	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0.00
Bangladesh	1	0	1	0	0	0	-1.74
Ireland	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0.00
Netherlands	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0.00

In order to take firm decision for selecting the winner the ICC considers many factors for reaching to a justified conclusion. They consider the total number of matches played, matches won, matches lost, and matches with no results. They evaluate the teams by giving points for the winners (1) the runners (0) and for no results (0). These points are then summed up for taking the final decision to declare the final winner of the tournament.    


There is a flaw in this conventional system of evaluating the teams’ performance as the final winner cannot be decided if there is a tie between two best teams scoring equal points in a match or a tournament. 


A unique system of evaluation ‘Net Run Rate’ abbreviated as NRR has been evolved out of mathematical calculation to the 3rd point of decimals for calculating the performance of the teams of any tournament. By calculating the net run rate NRR of the teams, the better team can be selected even if there is a tie based on the points they score. 


I went through many articles published on ‘Net Run Rate’ NRR on the internet, giving detailed calculations done for awarding the NRR to teams. Yet, the more I read them the more I felt confused about the concept of the term ‘Net Run Rate’ NRR. 


I did lot of trile and error and finally reached to a conclusion about ‘Net Run Rate’ NRR. Following is the outcome that I would like to share with the visitors of “Discover Life”. 


Please read the following that has been written in layman’s language without any mathematical terminologies and hope that would be useful for the readers:

The formula used is: NRR = RR For - RR Against


NRR = Net Run Rate of your team 
RR For = Your team’s run rate
RR Against = Opponent’s run rate

1. Your team’s run rate (RR For) = Runs scored by your team ÷ Overs bowled by opponent team
2. Opponent’s run rate (RR Against) = Runs scored by opponent team ÷ Overs bowled by your team
3. Net Run Rate (NRR) of your team = Your team’s run rate (RR For) – Opponent team’s run rate (RR Against)

Example: 

1. Runs scored by your team = 368
2. Overs bowled by opponent team = 50
3. Runs scored by opponent team = 299
4. Overs bowled by your team = 50
5. Your team’s run rate … 368 ÷50 = 7.36
6. Opponent’s run rate … 299 ÷ 50 = 5.98
7. Net Run Rate of your team...  7.36 – 5.98 = +1.38
8. Your NRR = +1.38
9. Net Run Rate of opponent team... 5.98 - 7.36 = - 1.38
10. Opponents NRR = -1.38

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• ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Schedule:  
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• List of countries participating in Cricket World Cup

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Disclaimer:

This article is written based on my personal observations and on the information collected from the media. My intention for publishing the same is to provide healthy reading and intellectual entertainment and not for educating the visitors. No literature or authentic books have been referred for writing the contents of this article. The visitors are advised not to refer the contents of this article for any research or testimony on athletic or legal purposes. The visitors are further advised to consult relevant experts before adapting any information from this article. The author or the website are not responsible for any errors, mistakes, or omissions there in.

- Harish Jharia

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