Cricket Guide

What are death overs in cricket?

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June 13, 2024

Being a cricket fan, you might have observed experts talking about the significance of death overs in cricket and bowling or batting at the death.

You might be shocked for the first time when you hear such words like ‘death’ in a professional sport like cricket.

Typically, death overs in cricket refers to the final set of overs. Specifically, in One Day Internationals(ODIs), it starts from the 41st over, whereas in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) it commences from the 16th over.

Most often, death overs in cricket determine the outcome of a match. Indeed it is a game changer in limited-overs cricket.

The batting, bowling, and fielding strategies in death overs will have a major impact on an innings. Importantly, the batting and fielding teams ensure that they have the best combination of batters and bowlers during the critical period.

Some experts refer to the death overs in cricket as “slog overs”, conveying the same meaning.

Especially, certain batsmen and bowlers are specifically suited to perform well in death overs playing with an aggressive style in white-ball cricket.

Specifically, there aren’t any rules or restrictions that apply during the death overs in cricket. In simpler terms, it is a contest between both teams showing their intent to pressure their opponents.

Strategies for Death Overs in Cricket

Generally, a batsmen, bowler, or fielder approach the challenging phases of death overs in cricket by implementing unique strategies:

1. Batting:

The players on the batting side are commonly known as “finishers” by flourishing during the death overs in cricket.

Typically, the middle-order batsmen are experts in securing wins for their side and executing unorthodox shots under immense pressure.

The batting side focuses on scoring as many runs as possible in the death overs. As a result, the batters can consistently strike boundaries and their focus increases on every ball.

A batsman aims to hit the ball integrating their extreme force and perfect timing to send the ball flying across the ropes. The bold intent of a batsman helps to accumulate quick runs and keep the opposition under pressure.

2. Bowling:

The bowling side assures to restrict the flow of runs as much as possible. The only possibility for them is to take regular wickets by disrupting the batsmen’s momentum during the death overs in cricket. As a result, by bringing new players to the crease, a batsman under pressure plays a maximum number of dot balls.

There is a perception that spin bowlers are convenient for a batsman to play aggressive strokes on slow and turning balls. Usually, a pacer bowls in the death overs by attempting to deliver either yorker or rapid bouncers.

3. Fielding:

The fielding strategies involve fielders delivering a combination of skills, tactics, and suspense to dismiss a batsman and prevent the flow of runs. It is only possible if the fielders are placed in an accurate position by following the fielding restrictions.

During the death overs in cricket, the fielders dynamically perform on the field by playing crucial roles such as:

Take potential catches when a batsman mistimes a shot
Prevent boundaries and save runs
Accurate throw at the stumps to stop the batsman from grabbing quick singles and doubles

Risks Taken to Play Death Overs in Cricket

Either a batsman or bowler takes risks in death overs to contribute their best efforts for their team.

Risks Taken by a Batsman:

A batsman attempts to take a risk during the death overs in cricket by following the three possible ways:

1. Using Crease Depth:

When a bowler attempts to deliver a yorker ball, a batsman keeps one foot outside the crease and another inside by using the crease depth.

Additionally, by keeping both feet inside the crease, a batsman can easily attempt big shots during the death overs in cricket. At the same time, a batsman standing at the depth of the crease should ensure not to hit the stumps with his bat or body to avoid a rare dismissal.

2. Unarmed areas:

A batsman looks at the entire fielding area during the death overs and analyzes the spot with fewer fielding risks.

Moreover, a batsman should realize that the least dangerous area is behind the wickets, where there aren’t any fielders placed. Indeed, it is the most unprotected area to strategically target by any batsman while batting at death overs in cricket.

3. Unorthodox shots:

Especially in T20 matches, unorthodox shots are the random strokes any batsman plays without focussing on any batting techniques. Simultaneously, there are maximized chances for a batsman’s dismissal if the shots aren’t executed properly.

Mainly, a batsman should practice these shots perfectly during the practice session before playing in any match to avoid mistakes and injury.

Risks Taken by a Bowler:

Compared to a batsman, bowlers undergo extreme pressure during the death overs in cricket by executing unique strategies:

1. Become Unpredictable:

A bowler should try to disrupt the batsman by becoming unpredictable and showing variations in each delivery. As a result, a batsman can’t get into the rhythm of hitting.

In other words, a bowler shouldn’t bowl the same types of deliveries more than three times in succession of the death overs in cricket.

2. Analyze Batsmen’s strengths and weakness:

Every batsman possesses certain strengths and weaknesses. A bowler needs to have excellent analysis skills to grab quick wickets in succession.

Attempting to bowl tighter to a batsman’s body prevents freeing their arms, by bowling a bit wider off the stumps. It helps a bowler to adjust their lines and lengths.

3. Aggressive Intent:

A bowler shouldn’t lose confidence if they get hit for more runs by any batsman showing aggressive intent. There are higher chances for a bowler to take more wickets if a batsman takes more risks during the death overs in cricket.

Mainly, bowlers should have the intent and back themselves against the in-form batsman. It is a fact that every run prevented by any bowler against the opponent could become that single run to help their team win the match.

Also, a bowler should prepare themselves to change their plans last minute and increase their intent.