In a full men’s ODI, teams can normally place two fielders outside the circle for overs 1–10, four for overs 11–40 and five for overs 41–50. In a full men’s T20 international, the limit is two for overs 1–6 and five for overs 7–20.
That middle phase is the key difference. ODI captains must manage a long stretch with four boundary fielders, while T20 captains can usually send a fifth fielder out as soon as the opening powerplay ends.
This guide covers standard ICC men’s international playing conditions, checked on 22 September 2026. Reduced-over matches and competition-specific rules can differ. For the broader match structures, start with our guide to cricket formats.
ODI vs T20 fielding restrictions at a glance
| Format | Overs | Maximum outside the circle |
|---|---|---|
| ODI: Powerplay 1 | 1–10 | 2 |
| ODI: Powerplay 2 | 11–40 | 4 |
| ODI: Powerplay 3 | 41–50 | 5 |
| T20I: powerplay | 1–6 | 2 |
| T20I: after the powerplay | 7–20 | 5 |
What does “outside the circle” mean?
The marked inner fielding area separates close and infield positions from the deeper outfield. In these men’s playing conditions, its curved ends have a radius of 30 yards. The outer boundary of the ground is a separate line.
To identify the positions involved, use our cricket fielding positions diagram. Names such as long-on and deep cover describe locations; the powerplay rule controls how many fielders may stand outside the marked area.
The limit is checked at the instant of delivery. It is a maximum, not a requirement to send that many fielders out. A captain can keep more players close to the bat if taking a wicket is the priority.
How ODI fielding restrictions shape an innings
An ODI innings has three restriction phases. The opening ten overs offer relatively little protection in the deep. The middle phase permits four fielders outside, and the final ten allow five.
Imagine a batter who likes driving straight and pulling short deliveries. With four deep fielders available, the captain has to decide which scoring areas deserve protection. Covering both straight boundaries and both square boundaries may leave another route open. The bowler’s line and length must support that choice.
For the batting pair, this can create a reason to rotate the strike. A single changes the batter on strike and may force the field to adjust. Building pressure is not always about trying to clear the boundary.
When the fifth deep fielder becomes available, the captain gains another option. It does not make the closing overs easy: batters who have wickets left may be ready to take greater risks.
How T20 fielding restrictions change the contest
In a full T20 international, the opening powerplay lasts six overs. The normal outside-circle allowance then rises directly from two to five. There is no ODI-style four-fielder middle phase.
Consider an opener who has been hitting over mid-off while that fielder is inside the circle. After the powerplay, the captain can move a fielder deeper to protect that route. The batter now has to decide whether to find a different gap, take a single or attempt a bigger hit.
That change helps explain why a scoring method that worked in the sixth over might be less attractive in the seventh. The batter has not necessarily lost form; the field and the available risks have changed.
Why the opening powerplay matters in both formats
With only two fielders permitted outside, captains cannot protect every boundary area. A batter may look to hit over an infield position, while the bowling side tries to make that shot uncomfortable.
For example, a captain might protect one side of the ground and ask the bowler to deliver towards that protection. A delivery that misses the plan can expose an unguarded area. Watch the field and the delivery together, rather than judging either alone.
An attacking field can also be a wicket-taking choice. Keeping a catcher close may be worth more to a captain than saving a single, particularly against a new batter.
What changes in rain-shortened matches?
Powerplay lengths are recalculated when an innings is shortened. Do not automatically apply ten opening overs to a reduced ODI or six to a reduced T20I. Use the revised allocation announced by the officials.
A rain-shortened ODI also remains an ODI. Having only twenty overs available does not turn it into a T20 international with T20 playing conditions.
What happens if a team breaks the restrictions?
Too many fielders outside the permitted area at delivery results in a no-ball. Separately, an applicable slow-over-rate penalty can reduce the usual late-innings allowance from five outside to four. That is why the field you see may occasionally differ from the basic table.
A simple way to follow the field
Check the format, the current over and whether the innings has been shortened. Then ask which shots the captain is protecting against. Those three checks make the field much easier to understand.
For more on how match length changes batting and bowling decisions, read Test vs ODI vs T20: what’s the difference?
Rules sources
The comparison follows clause 28.7 of the ICC Men’s ODI Playing Conditions and ICC Men’s T20I Playing Conditions. See clause 13.8 for over-rate fielding penalties. The ICC maintains its documents on the playing conditions page. Tactical examples above are illustrative.
