Cricket
Net run rate (NRR) explained: formula, examples and calculator
This article in another language: हिंदीગુજરાતી
Short answer: net run rate (NRR) = (total runs scored ÷ total overs faced) − (total runs conceded ÷ total overs bowled). It is how many runs per over a team scores minus how many it concedes per over, across a tournament. In the IPL and ICC events it separates teams that finish level on points. Use the calculator below to work out any team's NRR.
Net run rate calculator
Type overs the cricket way: 18.4 means 18 overs and 4 balls.
Net run rate: +1.000
batting run rate 9.000 − run rate conceded 8.000
What is the NRR formula?
A team's net run rate = (total runs scored ÷ total overs faced) − (total runs conceded ÷ total overs bowled)
A positive NRR means the team has, on balance, outscored its opponents per over; a negative NRR means the opposite.
How is NRR worked out for one match?
Suppose in a T20 match:
- Team A scores 180 in 20 overs
- Team B manages only 160 in 20 overs
| Team | Batting run rate | Run rate conceded | NRR for this match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team A | 180 ÷ 20 = 9.00 | 160 ÷ 20 = 8.00 | +1.00 |
| Team B | 160 ÷ 20 = 8.00 | 180 ÷ 20 = 9.00 | −1.00 |
How many overs count if a team is bowled out?
If a team is all out before its overs run out, its overs faced are counted as the full quota — 20 in a T20, 50 in an ODI — even if it lasted only 15. The same rule applies on the other side of the ledger: if you bowl your opponent out, your "overs bowled" also count as the full quota. That is why being bowled out cheaply does so much damage to NRR.
How do you convert 18.3 overs for NRR?
On a scorecard, 18.3 overs means 18 overs and 3 balls, not 18.3. An over has six balls, so 3 balls = 3/6 = 0.5 of an over. In the calculation, 18.3 overs becomes 18.5, and 18.4 overs becomes about 18.667.
Example: a team wins by scoring 151 in 18.3 overs. Its batting run rate = 151 ÷ 18.5 ≈ 8.16.
How is a whole tournament's NRR calculated?
A common myth is that the NRRs of each match are averaged. They are not. For the tournament:
- divide the team's total runs across all matches by its total overs faced across all matches
- subtract total runs conceded ÷ total overs bowled
That is why one heavy defeat keeps dragging a team's NRR down for much of the season.
How does NRR work in rain-shortened matches?
When rain shortens a match and a revised target is set for the side batting second, the side batting first is credited, for NRR, with one run less than the revised target, off the revised number of overs available to the side batting second. A match abandoned without a result does not count towards NRR. Each tournament's playing conditions set out the fine detail.
What does "must win in 15 overs" mean?
When a team is told it must chase a target within 15 overs to move above a rival, it means winning that quickly lifts its batting run rate enough for its overall NRR to pass the rival's. For a team batting first, the same idea is expressed as "must win by so many runs".
Sources
The facts in this article were checked against these official sources:
Frequently asked questions
What is the net run rate formula?
Net run rate = (total runs scored ÷ total overs faced) − (total runs conceded ÷ total overs bowled).
How many overs count if a team is bowled out?
If a team is all out before its quota of overs, its full quota is used in the NRR calculation — for example, 20 overs in a T20.
How do you write 18.4 overs for NRR?
Four balls are 4/6 ≈ 0.667 of an over, so 18.4 overs is about 18.667.
Is the tournament NRR an average of match NRRs?
No. It is calculated from the team's total runs and total overs across all its matches, not by averaging each match.