Powerplay ( cricket ) - wikipedia Powerplay ( cricket ) A powerplay is the name for the fielding restrictions in limited - overs and Twenty20 cricket. Unlike Test cricket, the fielders are spread out to save runs in limited overs cricket. The powerplay rule ( Restrictions on the placement of fieldsmen ), along with a number of other factors, has contributed to the big scores ( 300 + ) in modern One Day Internationals. Contents 1 Rules 1.1 ODI 1.2 Twenty20 2 History 3 References Rules One Day International ( ODI ) and Twenty20 differ in terms of the number of overs where mandatory powerplay rules apply. The rules below apply only when a match is uninterrupted. ODI During the first 10 overs of an innings a maximum of 2 fielders are allowed outside the 30 - yard circle. Between overs 11 and 40 a maximum of 4 fielders are allowed outside the 30 - yard circle In the final 10 overs ( 41 -- 50 ) a maximum of 5 fielders will be allowed to field outside the 30 - yard circle. Twenty20 The first six overs of an innings will be a mandatory powerplay, with only two fielders allowed outside the 30 - yard circle. Beginning with the seventh over no more than five fielders will be allowed outside the 30 - yard circle. History Fielding restrictions evolved through the 1970s, notably in World Series Cricket, and were first introduced in ODIs in 1980 in Australia. The most common rule was for only two fieldsmen to be allowed outside the circle in the first fifteen overs, then five fieldsmen allowed outside the circle for the remaining overs. The powerplay moniker was introduced by the International Cricket Council in 2005, when the fielding restrictions were split into three blocks : the mandatory ten overs at the start of the innings and two further five - over powerplays with the bowling team being able to choose the timing of both. In practice though, both were generally taken as soon as possible, effectively leading to a single block of 20 overs of fielding restrictions. To counter this, in 2008, the batting team was given discretion for the timing of one of the two powerplays. From October 1, 2011, the ICC brought additional changes to the bowling and batting powerplays. Under the new rules, in a 50 - over match, neither powerplay may be taken before the start of the 16th over and both must be completed before the commencement of the 41st over, so overs 11 to 15 and 41 to 50 can not be powerplay overs. Should either or both teams choose not to exercise their discretion, their powerplay overs will automatically commence at the latest available point in the innings ( e.g. in a 50 - over innings with one unclaimed powerplay, it will begin at the start of the 36th over ). On October 29, 2012, the ICC made further amendments on powerplays, reducing the number of blocks of powerplays from three to two. From 1992 to 2012, during non-powerplay overs a total of five fielders were allowed outside the circle. This was changed to four in October 2012. Moreover, from 1992 to 2005, two fielders were required in catching positions in the first fifteen overs. This was reduced to the first ten overs in July 2005. From July 5, 2015, the ICC further amended the rules, making the whole innings as a composition of 3 powerplays, thus removing the batting powerplay previously introduced. Furthermore, the restriction of two catching fielders on the first powerplay was relaxed. References Jump up ^ Suresh Menon ( 2 November 2013 ). `` Are bowlers under threat in one - day cricket ? ''. BBC News. ^ Jump up to : `` Standard one - day international match playing conditions '' ( PDF ). July 2015. Jump up ^ Cricket 's Turning Points : Fifteen - over field restrictions, ESPNcricinfo, May 1, 2011 Jump up ^ `` Those new one - day rules explained... '' Cricinfo. 8 July 2008. Jump up ^ `` ICC allows batting team to choose one Powerplay ''. Cricinfo. 30 September 2008. Jump up ^ `` Powerplay tweaks and end of runners ''. ESPNcricinfo. 30 September 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` Amended playing conditions to take effect ''. ESPNcricinfo. 29 October 2012. Jump up ^ Three powerplays explained Jump up ^ Nagraj Gollapudi ( 26 June 2015 ). `` Bowlers benefit from ODI rule changes ''. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Powerplay_(cricket)&oldid=856093297 '' Categories : Cricket terminology Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 22 August 2018, at 20 : 36 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: in the context of a t20 match what is powerplay
Answer: fielding restrictions in limited-overs and Twenty20 cricket