How many overs are there in a tape ball match?

Whatever the organiser sets. Most tape ball matches are 6, 8, 10 or 12 overs a side, so several matches fit into one evening.

Is LBW out in tape ball cricket?

It depends on the tournament. Many tape ball tournaments play without LBW; the rule should be written into the rules sheet before the first match.

How many players are there in a tape ball team?

Usually 8 to 11 a side, and sometimes 6 or 7 on small grounds. The organiser decides and tells every team in advance.

Guides

Tape ball cricket rules, and how to run a tournament

Tape ball cricket has no single rule book. Every ground, street and night tournament plays its own version. This guide sets out the rules most tape ball cricket uses, the choices an organiser has to make, and a simple plan for running a tournament without arguments.

By the Manage Cricket team · Updated 18 October 2026

Contents

What tape ball cricket is

Tape ball cricket is played with a tennis ball wrapped tightly in electrical tape. The tape makes the ball heavier and faster through the air, it skids off hard surfaces and bowlers can make it swing, yet nobody needs pads, gloves or a helmet. That is why it fills streets, parks, rooftops and floodlit turf grounds across Pakistan, and why the same kind of game, often called tennis ball cricket, is just as popular in India and wherever South Asian players have settled.

Because there is no governing body, the rules come from the organiser. The Laws of Cricket are the starting point, and each tournament adds its own changes for short matches and small grounds. The important thing is to write those changes down before the first match.

Overs, players and balls

Common tape ball formats

Setting	What most tournaments use
Overs a side	6, 8, 10 or 12
Players a side	8 to 11, with 6 or 7 on small grounds
Balls an over	6
Overs per bowler	Usually a fifth of the overs: 2 in a 10-over match
Ball	A new taped tennis ball for each innings or each match

Short matches are the point of tape ball: an 8-over match with a short break takes well under an hour, so a single evening can hold a full knockout. Decide the ball in advance too. Some organisers supply every ball taped the same way, which stops teams arguing over half-taped balls that swing more.

The local rules to agree on

These are the rules that cause most arguments. None of them is right or wrong; just pick one and tell every captain before the draw.

LBW: many tape ball tournaments play without leg before wicket, because it is hard to judge with no neutral umpires. If you keep it, say who decides.
Wides: tape ball umpires are usually strict on the leg side. A wide is one run and the ball is bowled again. Under the Laws a ball that bounces over the batter's head is now a wide too.
No-balls and free hits: a full toss above the waist is a no-ball. Most tournaments add a free hit on the next ball, on which the batter can only be out in the ways allowed off a no-ball, such as a run out.
Bouncers: many limit them to one per over.
Last man stands: the last batter may carry on alone instead of the innings ending at the second-last wicket. Our last man stands guide explains how it is scored.
Retirement: some friendly cups make a batter retire after a set score, such as 30, so that more players get a bat.
Ties: a Super Over is the fairest way to settle a tie in a knockout. Agree the backup if the light goes.

How to run a tape ball tournament

Choose the format. A straight knockout suits one night. Groups followed by knockouts give every team at least two or three matches. A league suits a season of weekends.
Write the rules sheet. Overs, players, the ball, LBW, wides, free hits, last man stands, the tiebreaks (points, then net run rate) and the timings. Share it in the captains' group.
Collect entry fees before the draw. Announce the prizes at the same time, so everyone knows what they are playing for.
Plan the timings. Allow time for the toss and the change of innings, not only the overs, and keep a reserve slot for a match delayed by rain or a light failure.
Give every match a scorer. One phone per match is enough. A live score link stops the arguments about how many runs are needed.
Keep the table honest. Update points and net run rate after every match from the scorecards, not from memory. Our net run rate guide shows the sums.
Stream the big games. Families and sponsors love watching the final, and a phone on a tripod is enough. See how to live stream from your phone.

Example: a one-night knockout

8 teams, 8 overs a side, 8 players a side, no LBW, free hit after a no-ball.

Quarter-finals: 4 matches. Semi-finals: 2. Final: 1. Seven matches in all.

At about 45 minutes a match, the night runs to a little over five hours with the breaks.

Running it with Manage Cricket

The tournament app is built for exactly this. Choose tape ball, tennis ball or hard ball, any number of overs, overs per bowler, last man stands and free hits, then pick a knockout, groups and knockouts, a league or a double round robin. The fixtures are drawn for you, every match is scored ball by ball even where the signal is weak, and the points table with net run rate updates after each result on a public page you can share on WhatsApp. Planning on paper first? The free scorecard maker and points table maker need no account.