The Complete Guide to Net Run Rate (NRR)
By Arshi Khan, Founder of Just4Marketing · Last reviewed October 2026
Net run rate is the tie-breaker used in most cricket tournaments and league tables when teams finish on the same points. It measures how much faster a team scores than its opponents score against it, across the whole competition. This guide explains the formula, the all-out rule that trips people up, and how to work it out match by match.
The net run rate formula
Add up every run your team scored and every over it faced across the tournament, and do the same for runs conceded and overs bowled. NRR is your scoring rate minus your conceding rate. A positive NRR means you score faster than your opponents score against you.
Overs must be converted from cricket notation first: 18.4 overs is 18 overs and 4 balls, or 112 balls — not 18.4 decimal overs.
A worked example
| Match | Scored | Faced (counted) | Conceded | Bowled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — won by 25 runs | 185 | 20 | 160 | 20 |
| 2 — lost, all out in 18.4 | 142 | 20 (all out) | 143 | 17.2 |
| Total | 327 | 40 | 303 | 37.2 |
Scoring rate = 327 ÷ 40 = 8.175. Conceding rate = 303 ÷ 37.333 = 8.116. NRR = +0.059. These are the default figures in the calculator above.
Improving net run rate
Win chases quickly
Every ball saved while chasing reduces your overs faced, which raises your scoring rate.
Avoid being bowled out
Being all out charges you the full quota of overs, so batting out the overs often protects NRR better than a quick collapse.
Big wins count
NRR rewards the margin of victory, which is why teams chase hard late in a group stage.
Frequently asked questions
How is net run rate calculated?
NRR = (total runs scored ÷ total overs faced) − (total runs conceded ÷ total overs bowled), added up across all matches in the tournament. It is not the average of each match's NRR.
What happens to NRR when a team is bowled out?
If a team is all out before its overs are used up, it is treated as having faced its full quota of overs. A team bowled out for 142 in 18.4 overs of a 20-over match is counted as scoring 142 from 20 overs. The same applies in reverse when you bowl the opposition out.
Does a successful chase count the full overs?
No. A team that reaches its target in 17.2 overs is counted at 17.2 overs, which helps its NRR. Only being bowled out triggers the full-quota rule.
How are rain-affected or abandoned matches handled?
Matches decided by DLS usually count the revised overs and target for both sides, and abandoned matches with no result are usually left out of NRR. Tournament rules vary, so check your competition's playing conditions.