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Bowling Economy & Average Calculator

Calculate bowling economy rate and bowling average instantly. Handles partial overs (like 4.3 = 4 overs 3 balls) automatically. Compare against T20, ODI, and Test benchmarks.

What are Economy Rate and Bowling Average?

Economy rate and bowling average are the two most important bowling statistics in cricket. Economy rate measures how many runs a bowler concedes per over (lower is better), while bowling average measures how many runs a bowler concedes per wicket (lower is better). Together, they paint a complete picture of a bowler's effectiveness — one measuring control, the other measuring wicket-taking ability.

Bowling Economy Rate Calculator

4.3 = 4 overs, 3 balls (auto-converts partial overs)

Bowling Economy Rate Formula

The Formula

Economy Rate = Runs Conceded / Overs Bowled

Worked Example (with partial overs)

Suppose Jasprit Bumrah bowls 3.4 overs (3 overs and 4 balls) in a T20I match and concedes 22 runs.

  • Convert overs: 3 overs + 4 balls = 3 + 4/6 = 3.667 decimal overs
  • Economy Rate = 22 / 3.667
  • Economy Rate = 6.00 runs per over

An economy rate of 6.00 in T20 cricket is excellent. It means Bumrah conceded just 6 runs per over, well below the T20 average of around 8-9 runs per over. This kind of spell can be the difference between winning and losing a tight match.

Bowling Average Formula

The Formula

Bowling Average = Total Runs Conceded / Total Wickets Taken

Worked Example

Suppose Rashid Khan has conceded 2,830 runs and taken 128 wickets in T20 cricket.

  • Bowling Average = 2,830 / 128
  • Bowling Average = 22.11

A T20 bowling average of 22.11 is elite. It means Rashid Khan concedes only about 22 runs for every wicket he takes, making him one of the most efficient wicket-takers in T20 cricket history.

Economy Rate Benchmarks: T20 vs ODI vs Test

FormatExcellentDecentExpensive
T20<77-88+
ODI<55-66+
Test<33-3.53.5+

In the IPL, even the best bowlers often have economy rates between 7 and 8 due to the aggressive batting on flat Indian pitches. Death-over specialists like Jasprit Bumrah maintain sub-7.5 economy rates, which is remarkable considering most death overs in T20 cricket yield 10-12 runs per over. In Test cricket, economy rate matters less than bowling average and strike rate, but the best Test bowlers still keep it below 3.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is economy rate calculated in cricket?⌄
Economy rate is calculated by dividing the total runs conceded by the number of overs bowled. The formula is: Economy Rate = Runs Conceded / Overs Bowled. For partial overs, you must convert to decimal — for example, 4.3 overs (4 overs 3 balls) = 4.5 decimal overs because 3 balls = 3/6 = 0.5 of an over.
What is a good economy rate in T20 cricket?⌄
In T20 cricket, an economy rate below 7 is considered excellent, 7-8 is decent, and above 8 is expensive. In the IPL, top bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Rashid Khan consistently maintain economy rates below 7.5 even in high-scoring matches. Death bowlers often have higher economy rates (8-9) due to the nature of the phase.
What is bowling average in cricket?⌄
Bowling average measures the number of runs a bowler concedes per wicket taken. The formula is: Bowling Average = Runs Conceded / Wickets Taken. A lower bowling average means the bowler takes wickets cheaply. In Test cricket, an average below 25 is elite (James Anderson, Jasprit Bumrah level), while in T20 cricket, below 20 is exceptional.
What is the difference between economy rate and bowling average?⌄
Economy rate measures run control — how many runs a bowler concedes per over. Bowling average measures wicket-taking efficiency — how many runs per wicket. A bowler can have a great economy rate but poor bowling average (restricts runs but rarely takes wickets) or vice versa. The best bowlers excel at both, like Bumrah who has a low economy AND low bowling average.
How do you handle partial overs in economy rate calculations?⌄
In cricket scoring, 4.3 overs means 4 overs and 3 balls, not 4.3 mathematical overs. To convert: take the balls (3) and divide by 6 to get the fraction (0.5). So 4.3 overs = 4.5 decimal overs. Our calculator handles this conversion automatically — just enter overs in cricket notation (e.g. 4.3) and it will calculate correctly.

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About This Bowling Economy Calculator

The CricJosh Bowling Economy & Average Calculator is a free, instant tool for cricket fans, players, and coaches who want to quickly compute economy rate and bowling average. The calculator handles the tricky partial-overs conversion automatically — when you enter 4.3, it correctly interprets that as 4 overs and 3 balls (= 4.5 decimal overs), not 4.3 mathematical overs.

Economy rate is the go-to metric for evaluating bowlers in limited-overs cricket. In T20 cricket, maintaining an economy below 7 is considered elite, while in ODIs the threshold drops to around 5. Bowling average complements economy rate by showing how efficiently a bowler takes wickets. Together, these two statistics tell you whether a bowler is a restrictive presence (low economy) or a strike bowler (low bowling average) — or ideally, both. Use this tool alongside our strike rate calculator for a complete bowling analysis.