# Identification of Key Performance Indicators for T20--A Novel Hybrid Analytical Approach
## 3 Results
It reflected the capacity of batters to score swiftly, when it mattered most, and demonstrated a trait that could tip the balance of power in favour of the batting side. Similarly to wicket-taking, maintaining a high run rate in the death overs, especially when the team is chasing a target, is a strong indicator of successful performance. It indicates both batting pressure and bowling effectiveness, as reliable predictors. Furthermore, additional KPIs, such as the percentage of singles (1's) scored in the second innings, wickets taken by spin bowlers, the number of sizes scored in the first innings, and the number of overs bowled by seam bowlers in the last six overs (15 th-20 th) of the second innings, all held notable importance in predicting match outcomes. The results also revealed that the number of runs scored in the final six overs (15 th-20 th) of the first innings, and the number of sixes hit in the 11 th-14 th overs of the first innings could influence a match. The following are the lower-ranked variable importance KPIs. Notably, the total number of catches taken in the second innings. While catching is crucial in cricket, the number of catches alone may not capture the broader dynamics of the match, thereby limiting its predictive strength. The dot ball percentage in the first innings, although dot balls reduce run rate, may not be sufficient in isolation to accurately predict match outcomes. The number of runs scored by the opening partnership in the first innings is valuable, but it does not always correlate strongly with match results in T20 cricket, where the middle and death overs often determine the match outcome. The number of dot balls in the first six overs in the first innings can hinder momentum, but it may be offset by strong performances in the middle or later stages of a match, thereby reducing its predictive value. Lastly, the number of ones in the last six overs of the second innings has been identified as a contributor to match outcomes, but has limited impact \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline
**Rank** & **KPIs** & **Variable Importance** \\ \hline
10 & Number of runs in the last six overs 15 th–20 th overs in the first innings & 0.00344 \\
11 & Number of sixes in the 11 th–14 th overs in the first innings & 0.00262 \\
12 & Number of catches in the second innings & 0.00221 \\
13 & Dot ball percentage in the first innings & 0.00139 \\
14 & Number of runs scored by the opening partnership in the first innings & 0.00137 \\
15 & Number of dot balls in the 1 st–6 th overs in the first innings & 0.00128 \\
16 & Number of ones in the last six overs (15 th–20 th) overs in the & 0.00109 \\  & second innings & 0.00109 \\ \hline \end{tabular} The value of variable importance is based on the Gini feature importance.  
\end{table} 
Table 2: _Cont._during the high-pressure final overs of T20 matches, albeit with slightly lower variable importance scores. LOOCV was employed to evaluate the predictive strength of various performance indicators. The LOOCV results generated feature counts, reflecting how often each PI was selected across validation rounds. A higher count indicates that the feature was consistently selected as being influential in predicting match outcomes. The top three KPIs, appearing in at least 77 out of 78 folds, were predominantly related to second innings performance, particularly in the death overs (Figure 3), and are listed as The number of wickets lost in the last six overs (n = 78); the number of bowlers taking two or more wickets (n = 78); and the run rate for 15 to 20 overs (n = 78). These KPIs suggest that bowling effectiveness and scoring efficiency during the death overs of the second innings are crucial to match outcomes, reinforcing the strategic importance of performance in the death overs of T20 cricket. Several first-inning KPIs featured prominently, viz., the number of six in overs 11-14 (n = 77), the total number of sixes (n = 77), and the number of runs in the last six overs (15 th-20 th overs) (n = 77).