How Many Timeouts in a Cricket Match? Complete Details Its 1 or 2 ?

Chandan

Published on: 27 September 2025

Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world, played in several formats, including Test matches, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 (T20). Like any professional sport, cricket has rules that govern the flow of play, including timeouts and breaks. Although the term “timeout” is commonly associated with sports like basketball, soccer, and American football, cricket has its own unique version of a timeout that is slightly different.

In this detailed guide, we’ll explore how many timeouts are allowed in cricket, what the official Laws state, how different formats handle breaks, and how timeouts have evolved over time. By the end, you’ll understand why timeouts in cricket are a vital and strategic tool for teams.

1. What is a timeout in cricket?

In cricket, a time outs refers to a pause or break in a match. Unlike basketball or football, where coaches call time outs to regroup the team, time outs in cricket serve a mix of practical, regulatory, and commercial purposes.

time outs are primarily of two types:

Official timeouts (Laws of Cricket)

Related to players’ readiness to bat, injury, or interruption.

Example: After a wicket falls, the incoming batsman must be ready to face the ball within 3 minutes (2 minutes in T20). Failure to do so results in the batsman being declared “timed out.”

Strategic and Commercial Timeouts

Introduced in shorter formats like T20 and franchise leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Designed to give teams a chance to rethink strategies, rehydrate, and give TV broadcasters a chance to run advertisements.

2. Laws of Cricket and the “Timeout” Rule

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the custodian of the Laws of Cricket, has a specific rule regarding time outs.

Law 40.1: After a wicket falls, the incoming batsman must be ready to take strike within 3 minutes.
In T20 cricket: According to ICC playing conditions, the timeout is 2 minutes.
If the batsman fails, the fielding captain may appeal and the batsman is declared out – a timeout.

👉 This is the only official “timeout” in the Laws of Cricket, but it is a penalty rather than a strategic break.

3. Strategic Timeouts in T20 and IPL

One of the biggest developments in time outs in cricket came with the advent of T20 leagues, especially the Indian Premier League (IPL).

In the IPL, each team is allowed two strategic time outs per innings.
Each timeout lasts 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
The batting team must use a timeout between overs 6-10, and the fielding team must use a timeout between overs 11-16.
These time outs are used for:

Discussing bowling changes.

Developing batting strategy.

Slowing down the opposing team’s pace.

Allowing broadcasters to shoot commercial advertisements.

Other leagues, such as the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Big Bash League (BBL), also use similar timeout rules, albeit slightly modified.

4. Drinks Break vs. Timeout

Many cricket fans confuse drinks breaks with time outs . Although both are interruptions in play, their purposes are different.

Drinks Break:

Traditionally, they occur after an hour of play in Test matches or after halfway through an innings in ODIs.

Primarily for hydration, not for strategic planning.

Timeout:

Specially designed for strategic and sometimes commercial needs.

Introduced primarily in limited overs cricket.

5. Timeouts in Different Formats of Cricket

Let’s take a look at how time outs work in each format:

(a) Test Cricket

No official strategic time outs .
Drinks breaks only after every hour of play or in extreme weather conditions.
Time lost due to interruptions (rain, injury, poor light) is made up later.

(b) One Day Internationals (ODIs)

Previously, there were mandatory fielding restrictions divided into powerplays.
No official time outs , but teams receive drinks breaks mid-over (usually after 25 overs).
The ICC has refrained from adding official time outs to maintain the natural flow of the game.

(c) Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is)

The ICC does not allow strategic time outs in international T20 matches.
They exist only in professional leagues like the IPL and CPL.
Drinks breaks may be allowed in hot weather.

(d) Franchise T20 League

IPL: 2 per innings (mandatory).
CPL: 1 per innings (mid-innings).
BBL: No official time outs , but drinks breaks are used.

6. Historical Background of Timeouts

The concept of a “time out” dismissal dates back to the late 19th century, but it is extremely rare.
The first “time out” dismissal in first-class cricket occurred in 1987 when Andrew Jordan failed to make it to the crease in South Africa.
In the IPL, strategic timeouts were introduced in 2009 to balance the fast pace of T20 cricket and advertising opportunities.
Over time, these breaks became an essential strategic tool.

7. Rare Cases of “Time Out” Outs

Although “time out” is part of the rules, it is one of the rarest dismissals in cricket.

Only six players have been dismissed this way in first-class cricket history.
This has never happened in international cricket before.
Example: In 2002, Hemulal Yadav was declared timed out in an Indian domestic match.

8. The Strategic Importance of Timeouts

Timeouts are not just for rest—they play a key strategic role:

For batting teams

To regroup after losing wickets early.

To plan for attacking bowlers in the death overs.

To decide on changes in the batting order.

For bowling teams

To discuss how to face set batsmen.

To plan for yorkers and slower balls in T20.

To decide on field placement.

9. Comparison with Other Sports

Basketball: Coaches call timeouts frequently to change strategies.
Football: No official timeouts except for cooling breaks in hot weather.
American football: Multiple timeouts allowed per half.
Cricket: Limited official timeouts, but breaks are used for strategy and advertisements.

10. Controversy surrounding timeouts

Many critics argue that IPL timeouts disrupt the natural rhythm of the game.
Some players believe they benefit teams under pressure over teams in control.
Fans sometimes complain that too many breaks diminish the excitement.

11. The future of timeouts in cricket

As cricket rapidly evolves:

More franchise leagues may adopt shorter and innovative timeouts.
The ICC may experiment with strategic breaks between innings in ODIs and T20Is.
Technology can be used in timeouts for data-based discussions (analysis, AI-driven insights).

12. Key Points

There are two main types of timeouts in cricket:

Timeout (cricket rule – 3-minute rule)

Strategic timeout (mainly in IPL and T20 leagues)

In IPL: 2 per innings (2 minutes 30 seconds each).
In Tests/ODIs: No official timeouts, only drinks breaks.
“Timeout” outs are extremely rare in cricket history.
Timeouts in modern cricket have now become a mix of strategy and commercial necessity.

Conclusion

So, how many timeouts are there in a cricket match?

The answer depends on the format:

In Tests and ODIs, there are no official timeouts—only drinks breaks.
No official timeouts are allowed in T20 Internationals either.
In franchise T20 leagues like the IPL, teams get two strategic timeouts per innings.
The only rule-based timeout is a “timeout,” which requires a batsman to leave the field within three minutes (two minutes in T20) of a wicket falling.

Timeouts may not be as obvious as in basketball or American football, but they are just as important in cricket, as they involve a blend of rules, strategies, and commercial aspects that make the sport unique.