Cricket Formats Explained: T20, T10, Box Cricket

Your office WhatsApp group wants to "play cricket Saturday." Fourteen people say yes. Then the format debate starts: full match? T20? T10? "What about that box cricket place near Pulchowk?" Nobody is sure how long they're free, how many bowlers they actually have, or what a fair pitch hire even costs.

This is the format breakdown. Plain English, Kathmandu-specific numbers, and a recommendation at the end.

The 4 formats you'll actually consider

Format	Overs/side	Players	Total time	Best for
Box cricket	5-8	6-8	1-2 hours	Office groups, beginners, indoors
T10	10	11	~90 min	Casual league, small ground
T20	20	11	~3 hours	Sunday morning serious match
One-Day (50-over)	50	11	~7 hours	Tournaments only — rare in pickup

For most groups of 10-14 friends or colleagues in Kathmandu, the realistic shortlist is box cricket or T10. T20 is great if you've got the time and the players, but it commits half a day.

Box cricket: the Kathmandu default

Box cricket is the local indoor (or netted-outdoor) version of cricket. Most "box cricket" venues in Kathmandu run 6-a-side or 8-a-side with rubber balls or tennis balls on a netted artificial-turf strip.

• Overs: 5-8 per side.
• Players: 6-8.
• Time: 60-90 minutes for the full match.
• Wickets: Often "auto-out" rules — wide and no-ball give automatic extras, and certain "zones" of the cage are bonus runs or wickets.
• Ball: Tennis ball or rubber ball, not a hard cricket ball.

What makes it work for groups:

• Compact slot. A 90-minute booking gives you both innings plus a break.
• No pad-up needed. Most box cricket is no-protective-gear (tennis ball), so newcomers aren't intimidated.
• Predictable cost. Venues quote a flat slot price, not per-over.

We cover the venue side in Box Cricket in Kathmandu: Rules, Venues, and Costs.

T10: the underrated middle option

T10 is 10 overs per side, full 11-a-side, played on a regular outdoor pitch. It became popular globally as a "fits in lunch break" format.

• Overs: 10 per side.
• Time: ~90 minutes including innings break.
• Pitch: Outdoor turf or matting pitch with proper hard ball.
• Gear: Pads, gloves, helmet for the hard-ball version.

This is the sweet spot if you have 22 players (two full sides) but can't commit a full Saturday. The harder competitive version of box cricket — it actually tests batting, bowling, and fielding without the marathon of T20.

T20: the weekend commitment

The format you've seen on TV. 20 overs per side, 11-a-side, ~3 hours total. The catch:

• You need 22 players. Hard to organize unless you have an office league or cricket club.
• You need a proper outdoor ground. Kathmandu has limited public grounds — covered in Cricket Grounds in Kathmandu and Cricket Grounds in Lalitpur.
• You need gear. Pads, gloves, helmets for both teams, plus a proper hard ball (which is Rs. 800-1,500 per ball that lasts maybe 2-3 matches).
• You need 3+ hours. Plus 30 minutes for warm-up and travel buffer.

If your group is committed and you've played T20 before, it's the best cricket experience you'll get in Kathmandu pickup play. If half your group is "I haven't played since school," start with box cricket and graduate.

What about One-Day or Test?

Honestly, skip these for pickup. Even competitive club cricket in Kathmandu rarely goes full 50 overs outside of tournaments. Test cricket as pickup is not happening.

Quick decision tree

• Have 6-10 people, 90 minutes, and beginners in the group? → Box cricket.
• Have 22 people, no helmets/pads, and tight on time? → Find a box cricket venue that holds 22, or split into two 11-a-side T10 matches at a netted facility.
• Have 22 people, kit, and a full Saturday morning? → T20 on an outdoor ground.
• Have anything less than 6 people? → Cricket nets, not a match. See Where to Find Cricket Nets in Kathmandu.

Realistic 2026 cost ranges

Format	Venue cost (per hour)	Gear cost split	Per-person if 14 split
Box cricket (6-a-side)	Rs. 1,500-2,500	Rs. 0 (tennis ball)	Rs. 110-180
T10 (netted facility)	Rs. 2,000-3,500	Rs. 500-1,000 ball	Rs. 180-310
T20 (outdoor ground)	Rs. 4,000-8,000	Rs. 1,500 ball + Rs. 500 misc	Rs. 430-680

Prices as of 2026. Premium grounds and tournament-grade pitches will sit at the top of each range.

What format works for which group

• Office team building: Box cricket. Low skill barrier, short slot, easy to schedule.
• College reunion: T20 if everyone's playable, box cricket if half haven't touched a bat in 5 years.
• Birthday celebration: Box cricket. Cake fits in the break.
• "We want a serious match": T20. Allocate three hours and proper kit.
• Mid-week meet-up: T10 in nets after work — short enough to fit a 7-9pm slot.

How Maidaan helps

Maidaan lists box cricket cages, netted facilities, and full outdoor cricket grounds across Kathmandu and Lalitpur. Filter by format and time slot to see what fits your group. Browse cricket venues or jump to the full venue map.

Pick a format and book

If you're still debating, just pick box cricket for the first outing. It works. Browse cricket venues on Maidaan, filter by format, and book a 90-minute slot. The "real cricket" debates can happen after lunch.