A standard cricket team has 11 players, including one captain. During a match, two teams compete against each other, so there are 22 nominated players across both playing XIs.
Under the current MCC Laws of Cricket, a match is normally played between two sides of 11 players each, and no more than 11 players from one side can field at the same time.
Personally, cricket is interesting because those 11 players aren't doing identical jobs. A good team needs balance. You can have brilliant batters, but if your bowling attack cannot take wickets, the team can still struggle badly.
Player Count
The basic calculation is simple:
Cricket setup | Players |
|---|---|
One playing team | 11 |
Two playing teams | 22 |
Maximum fielding at once | 11 |
Batters batting at once | 2 |
One of the 11 players serves as captain. Teams can have additional squad members outside the playing XI, but they aren't automatically part of the 11 nominated players for that match.
Player Roles
A cricket XI usually contains a combination of:
Batters – primarily responsible for scoring runs.
Bowlers – try to dismiss batters and restrict runs.
All-rounders – contribute significantly with both batting and bowling.
Wicket-keeper – stands behind the wicket and has specialized fielding responsibilities.
Captain – leads the team and makes tactical decisions.
The exact combination isn't fixed. A team might choose extra fast bowlers on one pitch and more spinners or batters on another.
For me, that's one of cricket's underrated tactical elements. Selecting the right 11 can influence a match before the first ball is even bowled.
Players on the Field
When one team bats, normally two of its batters are on the field at a time: the striker and non-striker.
The opposition fields with up to 11 players, including the bowler and wicket-keeper.
So during normal play, you'll usually see 13 active players on the field: 11 fielders + 2 batters.
Substitutes
A substitute is not simply a 12th player who can freely replace anyone whenever the captain wants.
Under MCC Law 24, umpires can permit a substitute fielder for injury, illness or another wholly acceptable reason. A standard substitute cannot bowl or captain, although they may keep wicket with the umpires' consent.
Certain competitions also have specific replacement rules, such as concussion replacements, so tournament playing conditions matter too.
Different Cricket Formats
The basic playing XI remains the same across the three major international formats.
Test cricket → 11 players per team
ODI cricket → 11 players per team
T20 cricket → 11 players per team
What changes dramatically is the strategy. Tests reward endurance and long-term planning, while T20 cricket pushes teams towards aggressive batting, specialized bowling, and flexible player roles.
The format changes. The standard team size doesn't.
FAQs
How many players are in one cricket team?
There are 11 players in a standard cricket-playing XI.
How many players are there in a cricket match?
There are 22 nominated players across the two playing XIs.
How many players field at one time?
A team can have a maximum of 11 players fielding at once.
Does a T20 team also have 11 players?
Yes. Test, ODI and T20 teams all normally have 11 players in their playing XI.
Must Read: Which Cricket Match in History Was the Most Unbelievable?
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