Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of eleven players each. The game is played on a circular or oval field, with a rectangular 22-yard-long pitch at its center. Each team takes turns batting and fielding. 

When batting, a team aims to score runs by hitting the ball, which is bowled by the opposing team's bowler, and running between two sets of wickets at either end of the pitch. The batting team continues until ten of their players are out. The opposing team fields and tries to get the batsmen out by hitting the wickets with the ball, catching the ball before it touches the ground, or other methods.

The game is typically played in several formats:
- **Test Cricket**: Played over five days with each team having two innings.
- **One Day Internationals (ODIs)**: Each team has a single innings with a limited number of overs, usually 50.
- **Twenty20 (T20)**: Each team has one innings with a maximum of 20 overs.

The team with the most runs at the end of the match wins. Cricket is known for its rich traditions and has a significant following, particularly in countries like England, Australia, India, and Pakistan.