Similarities between cricket, baseball ahead of T20 Cricket World Cup

The 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup is set to begin in India and Sri Lanka on Feb. 7.

While most Americans might not be acquainted with the sport, they may have gotten a glimpse into the sport in 2024 when Team USA pulled off a miraculous defeat of the usual cricket power Pakistan on June 7, 2024, in Dallas.

According to many cricket experts, the USA’s win over Pakistan is considered to be one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport.

A chance at repeating history is on the table for the U.S., as it is slotted in the same group as Pakistan for the World Cup, along with India, Nambia and the Netherlands. The U.S. and Pakistan face off on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at the Singhalese Sports Club in Sri Lanka.

As the World Cup approaches, here’s what fans need to know about the similarities and differences between cricket and America’s pastime: baseball.

Similarities in cricket, baseball

Just like in baseball, the premise of the sport is the same. A thrower throws the ball to the batter, who has to hit the ball and help his team score as many runs as possible. In both sports, there are fielders whose main job is to prevent runs.

In both sports, when the ball is hit in play, the batter becomes a runner who is looking to score runs in whatever the rules of the sport require.

Another similarity is hitting the ball outside of the parameters of the field, without it bouncing. In baseball, that is a home run that could be worth between one and four runs. Meanwhile, in cricket, it is called a “six” and is worth six runs.

In both sports, when a player “gets out,” the next person in the batting order is up to bat. When a set number of players are retired on each side, the fielding team comes to bat, while the batting team takes the field.

A catch in both sports is when the ball goes from the bat to the fielder, without the ball touching the ground.

Of course, whichever team scores the most runs wins the match. Matches generally do not end in ties.

Just as in baseball, the T20 format lasts about three hours for a full, complete game. Per the ICC, the average cricket match lasts 3 hours and 20 minutes.

Differences in cricket, baseball

The ball

A baseball is made of cork, rubber or a mixture of both, and can sometimes be layered. The legal weight for a baseball is between 5 ounces and 5 1/4 ounces, while it is 9 to 9.25 inches in circumference.

Meanwhile, a cricket ball is made of cork and string and covered with red leather. The ball weighs between 5.5 and 5.75 ounces and measures between 8 13/16 and 9 inches in circumference.

Bowling vs. pitching

While the object remains the same in both sports, it’s the differences that make the sports interesting. The differences start with the terminology. In baseball, what is called a pitcher is called a bowler. That name difference makes sense.

A bowler begins his process of throwing the ball in a run-up, and then throws the ball in an arc-like formation from a flat surface. The bowler typically bounces the ball, while a baseball pitcher throws from a mound and does not have a running start, but rather a windup.

Bowlers are allowed four overs in a T20 match at most. Unlike in baseball, where a pitcher can pitch a “complete game,” that is not an option in cricket, as different bowlers will get opportunities.

Batting and running

Another key difference is the batting gear. In baseball, a cylindrical and hollow bat is used, while a cricket bat is flat and has a cane handle. In baseball, a batter is on the field for the offense, while other players wait in the dugout, unless they are on base. In cricket, there are two batsmen on the field at a time, while others on offense wait for their turn in the clubhouse.

In baseball, after the batter makes contact with the ball, they are to run around the bases to score a run. The bases are 90 feet apart in baseball. In cricket, the hitters run between two creases, which are typically 22 yards apart. Each time each runner crosses the crease, it counts as one run.

When a runner runs between the creases in cricket, the fielders are to attempt to throw out the runner before he reaches for a “wicket,” which means the runner is out. In baseball, fielders either throw the ball to a base or tag the runner.

In baseball, a batter is done when his at-bat is done or if he gets on base or scores a run. In cricket, the batter continues until he is recorded out.

Fielding

In baseball, fielders are equipped with gloves to catch a ball and record outs. In cricket, the only fielder who has gloves on is the wicket keeper, who stands directly behind the wicket. Every other fielder is gloveless.

While there are 10 players per side for baseball, with nine on the field at a time, cricket rules have 11 players on the field at a time.

Runs

In baseball, each runner who crosses the plate counts as a run. Multiple runs can be scored on a play, if there are men on base.

In cricket, each time the two batsmen trade the crease on either side, it counts as a run. One, two or three runs can be scored on a ball that is kept in the playing field. If a ball bounces at least once and gets over the boundary, it counts as four runs. When the ball goes over the boundary without bouncing, it counts as six runs.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Similarities between cricket, baseball ahead of T20 Cricket World Cup