Powerplays limit how many fielders may be outside the 30-yard area.

The rulesets used on this page

This page applies the ICC Men's One-Day International Playing Conditions and ICC Men's Twenty20 International Playing Conditions, both effective July 2025 and still listed by the ICC as its current standard men's conditions on 26 August 2026. The controlling provisions are clauses 13.8, 21.14–21.19, 28.4 and 28.7.

These are international competition conditions, not a universal version of the Laws of Cricket. Women's internationals, domestic competitions, franchise leagues, junior cricket and new formats can appoint different conditions. The match's appointed playing conditions control.

Full-length innings

• Men's ODI, overs 1–10: no more than two fielders outside.
• Men's ODI, overs 11–40: no more than four outside.
• Men's ODI, overs 41–50: no more than five outside.
• Men's T20I, overs 1–6: no more than two outside.
• Men's T20I, overs 7–20: no more than five outside.

ICC ODI clause 28.7 calls the three ODI phases Powerplay 1, 2 and 3. The batting side cannot choose when they occur or carry unused overs into a later phase.

The marked area is not the boundary

Under ICC clause 28.7, two semicircles of 30 yards (27.43 metres), each centred on the middle stump at one end, are joined by parallel straight lines. The resulting shape is the fielding-restriction area. It is normally shown by a continuous white line or by marked dots at five-yard intervals.

A “boundary rider” is only informal commentary language. The legal test is whether each fielder is inside or outside this marked area, even where the actual boundary is much farther away.

Freeze the field at the instant of delivery

The outside-fielder cap in clauses 28.7.2.2 and 28.7.4 is judged at the instant of delivery. A fielder who runs back after that instant cannot repair a field that was already illegal for that ball. Conversely, later movement does not retrospectively change a legal powerplay count.

That does not give every fielder unrestricted movement before the ball reaches the striker. Separate ICC clause 28.6 permits only specified movements and treats other unfair movement as Dead ball plus five Penalty runs. Powerplay placement and unfair fielder movement are different tests.

A 50-over ODI has three fixed phases

ICC Men's ODI clause 28.7.2.2 sets a 10-over opening phase with at most two outside, a 30-over middle phase with at most four outside, and a 10-over final phase with at most five outside. The phase changes because the completed-over count reaches 10 or 40—not because of the score, wickets, bowling changes or the batting side's tactics.

The umpire signals the start of the middle and final phases to the scorers by rotating an arm in a large circle, and the scoreboard must indicate the current Powerplay.

A 20-over T20I has one opening powerplay

ICC Men's T20I clauses 28.7.2–28.7.5 apply the two-outside limit to the first six overs. From the seventh over, the ordinary maximum is five outside. Unlike the ODI wording, the later overs are described as non-Powerplay overs.

A Super Over does not reuse the opening two-outside limit. Appendix F says it uses the fielding restrictions applicable to the last over of an uninterrupted match: ordinarily no more than five outside.

Use the ICC phase table, not informal percentages

For a men's ODI reduced to 20–49 overs, clause 28.7.2.3 assigns the length of each phase. Useful checkpoints are:

• 20 overs: 4 + 12 + 4.
• 25 overs: 5 + 15 + 5.
• 30 overs: 6 + 18 + 6.
• 32 overs: 7 + 19 + 6.
• 40 overs: 8 + 24 + 8.
• 45 overs: 9 + 27 + 9.

The outside caps remain two, four and five respectively. Officials must use the exact table for every other permitted innings length; these examples are not a rounding formula.

The powerplay can finish during an over

ICC Men's T20I clause 28.7.6 gives the following two-outside periods for reduced innings: 5—1.3; 6—1.5; 7—2.1; 8—2.2; 9—2.4; 10—3.0; 11—3.2; 12—3.4; 13—3.5; 14—4.1; 15—4.3; 16—4.5; 17—5.1; 18—5.2; 19—5.4.

ODI and T20I resumptions work differently

In an interrupted ODI, the newly calculated phase takes immediate effect on resumption, even if the interruption occurred in the middle of an over. The official ICC example reduces a 50-over innings after 8.3 overs to 32 overs: the new phases are 7 + 19 + 6, so the four-outside middle phase applies immediately and the five-outside final phase begins after 26 overs.

In a T20I interrupted mid-over, if the revised powerplay entitlement has already been bowled, clause 28.7.7 removes the powerplay restriction for the remaining balls of that over. DLS calculations determine a target or result; clauses 28.7.6–28.7.7 determine the fielding restriction. One does not substitute for the other.

Five outside can become four outside

ICC clause 13.8 adds an in-match fielding restriction when the fielding side misses the scheduled or rescheduled cessation-time requirement. From the start of the next over after that time is reached, no more than four fielders may be outside for the rest of the innings.

The normal target is to be ready to bowl the first ball of the final over by the cessation time. If an interruption has reduced the innings by at least three overs, the target is the first ball of the penultimate over. The fielding penalty generally does not apply where an ODI has been reduced below 25 overs or a T20I below 10 overs, unless it had already taken effect before that reduction. It is additional to any ICC Code of Conduct consequences.

A legal outside count is not the whole field

ICC clause 28.4 applies alongside every powerplay phase. At the instant of delivery there may not be more than five fielders on the leg side, and no more than two fielders other than the wicket-keeper may be behind the popping crease on the leg side. A breach is also a No ball.

Do not turn the outside cap into an invented “minimum close catcher” rule. Under the current ICC men's ODI and T20I conditions, the powerplay test itself counts fielders outside the marked area; it does not require named catching positions.

The ball stays live, then a free hit follows

For a clause 28.7 breach, the square-leg umpire calls and signals No ball. Under clauses 21.14–21.19, the call does not itself make the ball dead: play can continue and the batting side receives the one-run No-ball extra plus any other runs lawfully scored. The delivery does not count in the over.

Only Hit the ball twice, Obstructing the field or Run out can dismiss a batter from that No ball. The next delivery is a free hit; if it is not a legitimate delivery, the free hit carries forward. Because the No ball arose from a fielding-restriction breach, the field may be changed for the free hit only as far as needed to correct that breach, unless the striker has changed.

A placement call is not a standalone Player Review

ICC Appendix D limits a Player Review to a decision about whether a batter is dismissed. A captain or batter therefore cannot spend a review merely to challenge the outside-fielder count. Following a dismissal, however, the on-field umpire may request the third umpire to check any applicable mode of No ball other than the excluded illegal-action question; a fielding-restriction breach can therefore affect whether that dismissal stands.

Five outside for the first ball of ODI over 11

Situation: after ten overs of a full men's ODI, the captain places five fielders outside the restriction area for the next delivery.

ICC Men's ODI July 2025 ruling: No ball. Over 11 begins Powerplay 2, whose maximum is four outside. The decisive fact is the fifth outside fielder at the instant of delivery, not that the opening two-outside phase has ended.

The fifth ball of over four in a 12-over T20I

Situation: the innings was reduced to 12 overs before play. The field has five outside for the fifth legal ball of over four.

ICC Men's T20I July 2025 ruling: legal under the powerplay count. The reduced powerplay lasts 3.4 overs—three complete overs and four balls—so the next ball is the first non-Powerplay delivery. The five-outside ordinary limit applies, assuming no slow over-rate restriction or separate placement breach.

A rain break redraws an ODI phase mid-over

Situation: a 50-over men's ODI stops after 8.3 overs and is reduced to 32 overs.

ICC Men's ODI July 2025 ruling: on resumption the middle-phase maximum of four outside applies immediately. The new first phase is only seven overs, so it has already finished; the final five-outside phase begins after 26 overs.

A late T20I over begins after the time limit

Situation: in a full T20I, the fielding side has missed the clause 13.8 cessation-time requirement. The next over begins with five fielders outside.

ICC Men's T20I July 2025 ruling: No ball if all five remain outside at delivery. The slow over-rate restriction has lowered the maximum to four from the start of that over for the rest of the innings.

How to decide any replay

1. Name the competition and document. Do not assume every T20 or 50-over match uses ICC men's conditions.
2. Confirm the revised innings length. Use the official ODI phase table or T20I powerplay table after a reduction.
3. Locate the delivery. For a partial over, count legal balls rather than treating the notation as a decimal.
4. Check any slow over-rate restriction. The ordinary five-outside allowance may have fallen to four.
5. Freeze the field at delivery. Count every fielder outside the 30-yard area.
6. Apply the independent leg-side tests. A correct powerplay count can still leave an illegal field.
7. Give the consequence. No-ball extra, live ball, delivery not counted, dismissal limits and a free hit next.

Do not export these numbers to every short-form match

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 conditions used the same clause 28.7 caps and reduced-innings table as the standard men's T20I conditions. The ICC's separate T20I addendum for “Green” status Members changes various administrative provisions but does not amend clauses 13.8 or 28.7.

This page makes no claim that a domestic franchise competition, recreational league, junior grade or non-T20 format uses these phases. Check the named season's official competition conditions before applying the ICC numbers.

Four claims to avoid

• “Powerplay means only two boundary riders.” The legal line is the marked 30-yard area, not the boundary.
• “Six overs means six overs in every reduced T20I.” The ICC table can end the powerplay partway through an over.
• “Five outside is always legal after the powerplay.” The leg-side limits and any clause 13.8 slow over-rate restriction still apply.
• “Rain changes only the DLS target.” It can also change the fielding phases immediately on resumption.

Governing-body sources and effective versions

• International Cricket Council — Men's One-Day International Playing Conditions, effective July 2025, clauses 13.8, 21.14–21.19, 28.4, 28.6, 28.7 and Appendix D 2.6 and 3.1
• International Cricket Council — Men's Twenty20 International Playing Conditions, effective July 2025, clauses 13.8, 21.14–21.19, 28.4, 28.6, 28.7 and Appendices D and F
• International Cricket Council — Men's T20 World Cup 2026 Playing Conditions, clauses 13.8 and 28.7
• International Cricket Council — addendum to Men's and Women's T20I Playing Conditions for “Green” status Members (current posting; no effective date stated)
• International Cricket Council — current Playing Conditions index

Checked on 26 August 2026 against the current ICC documents above. The ICC index still listed the July 2025 standard men's ODI and T20I conditions on that date. The “Green” status addendum does not state an effective date in its text and does not alter the powerplay or slow over-rate fielding clauses. Women's international, domestic, franchise, junior and tournament conditions may supplement or replace this baseline; use the playing conditions appointed for the match.