The Net run rate has been a burning topic of discussion in various multi-nation tournaments around the globe. For some teams, it is the make or break, especially during the later stages when even a difference of 0.01 between them and their closest competitor can stop or facilitate their progression in the tournament’s further stages like in IPL, the play-offs. But, what is this net run-rate and why is it all the rage in multi-team tournaments like the IPL. To say it all in one line, the net run rate is a relative measure of the scoring rate of a particular team with respect to other teams that are a part of the competition.

Till this time the question that might be popping is what all teams can do to improve their net run rate, and the most common answer would be to hit a high number of boundaries and try to score as many runs in their given quota of overs. This might be an effective way but definitely not an easy one. Many teams lose out on the net run rate in matches where after a certain point they themselves, or their opponent gains an unassailable lead over them and they start to play loosely, either giving away boundaries or themselves scoring at a very low strike rate. So apart from scoring at a brisk rate and amassing mountains of runs, the teams must also try to stop the flow of runs as much as possible while defending and try to as miser as possible.