Phase Definitions
Summary
CricketStudio splits a T20 innings into three phases. Phase context is essential: a six in the powerplay, a six in the middle, and a six in the death over are not the same cricket event.
The Phases (T20 / 20-over innings)
| Phase | Overs | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay | overs 1–6 | Fielding restrictions; high boundary opportunity. |
| Middle | overs 7–15 | Spin and accumulation; fewer fielding restrictions. |
| Death | overs 16–20 | High-risk hitting and yorker bowling. |
These boundaries are CricketStudio doctrine and are applied consistently across all phase splits in the data.
Why This Matters
Phase changes the meaning of every rate metric:
- A 150 strike rate in the death overs is ordinary; the same rate in the powerplay against the new ball is excellent.
- Bowling economy of 8.0 is poor in the powerplay but good at the death.
Edge Cases
- Rain-shortened matches redefine phase boundaries proportionally; CricketStudio applies the official reduced-over structure for that innings.
- Formats other than T20 (ODIs, Tests) do not use this three-phase split.
- Phase splits require the ≥15 balls in phase floor — see Sample-Size Floors.
Agent Guidance
- Always name the phase when quoting a phase-specific stat.
- Never compare a powerplay rate to a death rate as if they were equivalent.
- If a phase sample is below the floor, report it as insufficient, not as a number.