# Commonwealth Dopers - what's considered "par" in T20 cricket **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 1, 2012, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404 "2012-02-01T08:55:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/1 "2012-02-01T08:55:24Z")
(By “Commonwealth” I mean what used to be called the British Commonwealth, not the Commonwealth of Virginia or similar.) I’m old, so haven’t really got into T20 cricket. However I’m "bach"ing it this week (my family are having a holiday prior to school starting next week, but I need to work) and watching the Oz-India T20 game. Is there a particular score considered “par”? I guess in the 50 over game I would say that 250 to 300 was par, depending on the ground and conditions, but I have no idea about T20. Is it 150 to 200, or something else? By the way, I’ve just seen Dave Warner (a left-hander) change to right-handed and hit a 100 metre 6. Unbelievable. And now he’s out. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/2 "2012-02-01T09:21:03Z")
I have no numbers to support this - but I’d say roughly 150-160 (i.e. 7.5-8 an over) might well be around par. I only say this after watching games though - it might well be different should someone actually look at the figures. 8 an over generally seems achievable in T20 if you’ve still got some batsmen, whilst still being an effective target to bowl at. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/3 "2012-02-01T09:40:20Z")
Thanks for that. The outfield in Sydney tonight is slow following some rain, so maybe a lower score will be sufficient. Australia at the moment is scoring at 8.8 per over, but the rain has just started to fall. Could be an interesting night. Hopefully the rain will stop. Covers are being put on now. Bugger! ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/4 "2012-02-01T09:44:03Z")
In the three World Cup Finals thus far [. [URL=“[SL vs PAK, ICC World Twenty20 2009, Final at London, June 21, 2009 - Full Scorecard](http://www.espncricinfo.com/wt202009/engine/match/356017.html)”]Pakistan chased 138 successfully]([IND vs PAK, ICC World Twenty20 2007/08, Final at Johannesburg, September 24, 2007 - Full Scorecard](http://www.espncricinfo.com/twenty20wc/engine/current/match/287879.html)"India defended 157 against Pakistan, albeit by 5 runs[/URL) ANd [England chased 147 against Australia](http://www.espncricinfo.com/world-twenty20-2010/engine/match/412703.html) The last two chases were fairly easily achieved. So I would say about 150-160 is about right. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/5 "2012-02-01T10:12:22Z")
I feel better now, because the commentators have just said, “no-one knows what a reasonable score is.” If the experts don’t know, then I don’t feel so bad not knowing. The Australians are batting again because the rain has stopped. Australia is 142 after 17 overs. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/6 "2012-02-01T10:15:48Z")
156 after 18. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/7 "2012-02-01T10:16:52Z")
I don’t know if this is a valid way of looking at things, but according to [Cricinfo’s Statsguru](http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=3;template=results;type=aggregate), a total number of 217 T20 internationals have been played with a total amount of runs at 59733 (including on-going matches like the Aus-In being played right now.) That gives an average of 275 runs per match, which leads me to think that this confirms **Cumbrian** ’s and **AK84** ’s estimates of 150-160 for a decent score as pretty accurate. I don’t know what happens to the average if IPL (or other league) results gets filtered in. ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/8 "2012-02-01T10:19:42Z")
Cheers for doing the diligence **Panurge**. 156 after 18 suggests a total topping 170 and potentially 175 if they can really throw the bat at it. That’s a very good total and will take some serious work to chase down, I reckon. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/9 "2012-02-01T10:23:58Z")
I relish every chance I get to use Statsguru for something (relatively) sensible. Greatest online sports resource in the World, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/10 "2012-02-01T10:30:20Z")
Australia’s total is 171. Hopefully it’s enough. The Australian captain says it’s 10 over par. We shall see. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/11 "2012-02-01T10:31:39Z")
Thanks all. I really appreciate the input. ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/12 "2012-02-01T10:39:24Z")
> [@Panurge](#): > > I relish every chance I get to use Statsguru for something (relatively) sensible. Greatest online sports resource in the World, in my opinion. I couldn’t agree more. I think quite a lot of other websites could learn significantly from Statsguru - searching for stats in a number of other sports seems so much more difficult after you’ve got used to Statsguru. That’s nto to say it’s perfect but it is very good. 171 is a good total. I suppose the mystery factor is Sehwag - if he goes off on one, pretty much anything is chaseable. Is he even playing though - got to confess, i’m not up to speed on this game at all. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/13 "2012-02-01T10:43:42Z")
I’m confused now. The Channel 9 commentary team is saying the total is 170. [Cricinfo.com](http://Cricinfo.com) say 171. Our TV channel missed the final ball due to showing advertisements, so I don’t know. We shall see. ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/14 "2012-02-01T10:44:22Z")
G Gambhir, V Sehwag, V Kohli, RG Sharma, SK Raina, MS Dhoni\*†, RA Jadeja, R Sharma, R Ashwin, R Vinay Kumar, P Kumar. If they can get their act together, we could be in for a good one. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/15 "2012-02-01T10:47:59Z")
Sehwag is out in the first over for 4. That makes it easier. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/16 "2012-02-01T10:53:08Z")
Lee still went for 12 in the first over, even given the wicket. Xavier Doherty, an off-spinner is bowling the second over. Interesting decision. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/17 "2012-02-01T10:57:44Z")
Doherty’s first over only resulted in 4 runs. Lee lucky to get away with a wide ball not being called. Second ball is called a wide. Gambhir doing well - hopefully will be an enjoyable run chase. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/18 "2012-02-01T10:59:20Z")
Kohli just hit a 6. Even more interesting … ---
**Author:** ![Panurge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Panurge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Panurge)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/19 "2012-02-01T11:41:45Z")
Sigh. 73/5. Yet again a below-par performance from the Indian top order. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404/20 "2012-02-01T12:39:11Z")
India finished at 6 for 140. Comfortable win for Australia as it happened. Hopefully closer next time. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-dopers-whats-considered-par-in-t20-cricket/611404.md?page=2)