Indoor cricket guide: Rules, equipment and how to play
Indoor cricket is cricket adapted for enclosed spaces, with a walled court, a softer ball and nets that stay in play. The same idea stretches from a full arena league to a hallway at home. Picture tape on the floor for a crease, a pair of plastic stumps by the balcony door, and two friends calling a three over game before dinner where the wall behind the bowler counts for runs and a top edge into the net stays alive for a catch.
If you have tried to play cricket inside, you already know the tension. You want the real shots, the running between wickets and the close fielding, but you do not want a hard ball denting the fridge or a drive through the curtains. Indoor cricket solves that by design. The arena version was built for sports centres with tensioned nets on all sides, and the home version works with the same principles using soft balls, light stumps and clear house rules.
The key distinction is the net as a fielder and a scorer. In a park you lose runs when the ball hits a fence. Indoors the side net can add runs, the back net can add more, and any fielder can catch off a net before it touches the ground. That one idea keeps the game quick and social even when eight people share a court barely larger than a badminton hall.
This guide covers both ends. First the game as it is played in indoor centres, with team size, overs, court, scoring zones and how outs work. Then the equipment you actually need, and how to translate those rules to a flat, a living room or a society hall without losing the feel of cricket.
The basic rules
Arena indoor cricket follows a skin system that keeps every player involved from first ball to last. Two teams each bat one innings. The standard game is eight players per side for sixteen six ball overs. A common shorter format is six per side for twelve overs, used where courts are smaller or bookings are tighter. Whichever length you play, every player bowls and every player bats.
Batting happens in pairs. Each pair bats together for four overs regardless of outs. With eight aside that is four pairs. With six aside the pairs often bat two or three overs each to fill the twelve. Batters change ends at the end of each over and tell the umpire their names when they arrive.
Bowling is shared evenly. In the full format each of the eight fielders bowls two overs. In the six aside format each player bowls two overs as well to reach twelve, or one to two overs depending on centre rules. No one can avoid bowling except where an injury rule applies and a substitute is approved by the centre.
Innings are continuous. The second innings is always bowled in full even if the chasing team passes the target early, because the penalty for wickets can pull a team back below the total again. The side with the higher total after both innings wins.
Fielding has placement limits to keep the game open. At the start of the bowler's run up no more than four fielders may be in either half of the court, and the wicket keeper has a marked area behind the stumps. The top net is neutral, it does not score and it does not count as a boundary.
The two ideas that make the game different from outdoor cricket are the net bonus and the way wickets are handled. You score both by running and by hitting the nets, and you are not removed from the crease when out. That is covered in detail in the sections ahead.
Court and setup
A regulated indoor court is a rectangle enclosed by tight netting on all four sides and the roof. The playing surface is usually a synthetic mat on concrete. Length is commonly between 28 and 30 metres, width between 10.5 and 12 metres, height around 4 to 4.5 metres. The pitch strip runs between two sets of stumps set about 20 metres apart, with creases marked in front of each set.
The stumps are collapsible spring loaded units, about 71 cm high and 23 cm wide, with bails that sit lightly so a touch removes them. Crease lines are usually 55 mm wide. The pitch is bounded by off side lines at the striker end and by return creases near the bowler. Centres supply the ball, teams do not bring their own, and any substitution or reshaping of the ball is penalised.
You do not need all that for a home game, but the measurements help you set a fair distance. A hallway pitch of 6 to 8 metres still lets a bowler deliver underarm or gentle overarm and the batter play off a single bounce. In a living room, mark the crease with painter tape about two metres from the sofa wall, keep the opposite stumps near a second wall, and leave a clear swing arc that does not cross a doorway.
Indoor centres require rubber soled non marking shoes. At home socks on tile or laminate give better grip than bare feet and reduce ankle twists, while outdoor rubber soled shoes should stay off polished wood. Place the non striker behind the batter and outside the swing line, keep equipment not in use outside the playing area, and ask late arrivals to wait until the over ends before entering. Those small habits copy what indoor umpires enforce on court and they prevent collisions at home.
Scoring zones
Runs come from two sources at once. Physical runs are completed when both batters cross and make good the crease, just as outdoors. Bonus runs are added when the ball hits a net after being struck with the bat or the hands holding the bat. The bonus only counts if at least one physical run is completed on that ball. If the batters do not cross, the net contact does not add.
Zones are marked by tapes or panels on the net. The names are consistent across most centres even when the exact colours differ.
Zone A is the front net behind the keeper. It scores zero. A ball that rolls into it or is punched softly back there requires a tight run to make any bonus at all.
Zone B is the side net between the striker end and the halfway line. It scores one.
Zone C is the side net between halfway and the bowler end. It scores two.
Zone D is the back net behind the bowler. It scores four if the ball reaches it on the bounce and six if it reaches it on the full without bouncing. If the ball hits side net B or C first and then hits back net D, it scores a reduced bonus of three, which keeps wall banging from becoming the only tactic.
A few centres mark an additional back panel or upper net above the stumps with higher values, often five on the bounce and twelve on the full when hit directly. Where no extra panel is marked, that area is simply part of Zone D. The umpire counts the zone the ball hits first, and when the ball strikes a zone tape or corner conduit the higher zone applies.
Catches matter here too. A ball can be caught off any net except the back net if the rules treat a direct hit to that net as a boundary style bonus. In practice many centres allow catches off side nets and the roof net before the ball lands, which rewards fielders who stay close to the net and anticipate the rebound. A ball deflected by a fielder into a zone after the batter has hit it still scores that zone, so a thick edge that is parried into side net still adds.
Extras are simple. A no ball adds at least two to the total and is not rebowled in most formats. A wide adds two or three depending on the centre, and physical runs taken after a wide are added on top. If a wide or no ball is struck into a zone and a run is completed, the zone bonus is added to the penalty. In the last over of each innings some centres require wides and no balls that would change the result to be rebowled, so the finishing team must still face a legal delivery.
The total at the end is physical runs plus zone bonuses plus extras minus the skin deductions for wickets. Each pair keeps a running skin total, which is their runs minus five per dismissal, and the team total is the sum of all skins. A scoreboard error must be queried before the next over starts, or before players leave the court after the final over, otherwise the displayed total stands.
How dismissals work
Every common cricket dismissal exists indoors with one important change. A wicket does not end the batter's stay. The batter loses five runs from the team score and continues to bat for the rest of the pair's overs. That is the skin penalty system. It means a pair can finish with a negative skin if they lose several wickets, and a team can win on skins even when total runs look close.
Ways to be out include bowled, caught, caught off a net rebound, run out, stumped, hit wicket, leg before when no genuine shot is offered, handled ball, hitting the ball twice except to guard the stumps, obstructing the field and Mankad. The wicket keeper can stump off a wide. Both batters can be out on the same ball in a double play situation, for example a catch followed by a run out attempt before the ball is dead.
Caught is the busiest dismissal. Because nets rebound quickly, fielders stay tighter to the bat. A ball struck into the top net and then caught before bouncing can be out, while a ball that hits back net D on the full for a six bonus cannot also be a catch in centres where D is treated as a boundary. Check the local rule on the back net before the game, it is the one variation that changes the caught decision.
No balls cover several actions. Overstepping or bouncing the ball off the net or side wall before reaching the striker, throwing, bowling from the wrong position without notice, having more than four fielders in a half at delivery, or the keeper leaving the designated area early can all be called no ball. Illegal entries and misconduct can also bring penalty runs. A repeated failure to warn after a Mankad attempt can be called no ball in some rule books.
Wides depend on the same idea as outdoors, a ball too far from the batter to play when standing in a normal guard. Leg side wides are usually stricter. The call adds the penalty and any runs or bonuses that follow, and the ball remains alive for run outs and stumpings.
Equipment checklist
Arena play needs less than you expect, home play needs even less if you choose softer options.
Bat: A standard cricket bat is allowed indoors, with the usual size grades for adults and juniors. At home a lightweight wooden or Kashmir willow bat works longer than a plastic one for timing, while a plastic bat lasts longer on rough floors. For very young batters a smaller size helps keep the top hand in control and the backlift consistent.
Ball: Centres use a specific indoor cricket ball, softer and lower bounce than a leather ball but still firm enough to carry to the nets, usually yellow for visibility. For home games use a tennis ball, a taped tennis ball wrapped tightly in electrical tape for extra pace and swing without hardness, a rubber training ball or a plastic windball. Each behaves differently. Tennis is quieter on walls, taped tennis skids faster and rewards full deliveries, windballs dip and are safest around glass. Choose one ball for the whole game so results can be compared.
Stumps: Arena stumps are spring loaded collapsible sets. At home use plastic stumps with a broad rubber base and light bails, or a set of three thin plastic poles placed in a weighted base. Avoid metal bases, they slide on tile and can scratch floors.
Protective gear: Indoors the softer ball reduces the need for pads. Batting gloves and an abdominal guard are the basics, and keepers wear gloves. Helmets are rare at junior indoor centres but may be used by choice. At home gloves with light padding help younger players keep grip and reduce sting from a taped ball, and a guard is sensible for older juniors playing with any ball that bounces above waist height.
Floor and footwear: Centres use synthetic mats that give even bounce. At home lay a yoga mat or a short runner as the pitch strip if the floor is slick, and keep the rest of the area clear. Use socks or indoor low profile rubber shoes with non marking soles. Bare feet and leather soles slip on tile.
Marking and recording: Painter tape for creases and halfway, small flat cones or paper discs for fielding thirds, and a simple score sheet or phone notes for physical runs, bonuses and minus five entries. Without the minus five column the skin system gets lost and scores become a guess.
Safety extras: A roll of soft boundary tape to cover sharp table corners near the arc, a basket for stray balls so no one steps on one mid run, and a clear agreement that anyone inside the room stays outside the swing radius. Indoor centres penalise incorrect dress and keep kit outside the court for the same reason, to keep the playing box clear.
Home adaptations
Street and apartment cricket in India has already solved the indoor puzzle in its own way, often without realising it copies the arena model. A tennis ball or taped ball keeps noise down and protects windows. A mat reduces unpredictable spin on rough mosaic or marble. Plastic stumps stand up to repeated hits on concrete. Hallway rules turn a limitation into a scoring system.
Tennis ball games: Played with a soft felt ball on any floor, usually underarm bowling from five to seven metres, one bounce allowed. To mimic arena bonuses, treat a side wall as one run zone and a back wall as two or four, but require a single physical run between cones to claim the bonus.
Taped ball games: A tennis ball wrapped once or twice in black electrical tape becomes heavier, keeps pace after bouncing, and can swing with a shiny side if the tape is overlapped. It is the street equivalent of the indoor ball. Because it slips on dusty floors, keep the delivery full rather than short.
Rubber and windball games: Softer balls that are easiest on furniture. They still score off walls but lose speed quickly, so allow two bounces before the stumps and set the crease shorter.
Wall rules you will recognise: In many homes one rule is wall is out, where any contact with a side wall before bouncing is a wicket. Another is wall is extra, where every wall contact adds runs similar to Zone B or C. Pick one rule for the whole session. Mixing them leads to arguments about edges that hit frame or skirting.
Mat and rope pitches: A six foot runner defines line length, a string line across the middle defines the halfway for side net values, and a piece of tape behind the bowler marks the back net zone. You do not need real nets, the call is enough. Consent matters more than the material. Agree that a hit above shoulder height that would have been out in a court is one run instead, or that a direct hit to the back cushion is four on the bounce.
India apartment context: Most 2BHK layouts give a living and dining rectangle of four to six metres end to end, plus a passage of about two metres. Play in socks, move the low table, close the balcony slider, and tell neighbours the session is brief if footsteps carry through the floor. Morning or early evening sessions avoid peak fan and air conditioner hum that hides calls. Keep an adult watching when children bat together, store the bat flat when not in use, and inspect the arc for charger cables before starting. Those steps copy what indoor managers do with footwear, time slots and clear court surrounds.
Console and VR cricket games exist as a separate category. They use thumb sticks, buttons or headsets and keep the body seated or standing in place. They can be mentioned as context so a new reader understands the range, but this guide stays with formats that use a bat and a ball or a motion based bat.
Playing your first game
You can run a complete game for two to eight players in thirty to sixty minutes once the house rules are set. The steps below keep scoring honest and turns moving.
Space and count: Choose a flat stretch where a batter can swing without touching a light, a fan blade or a shelf edge. For two players keep a single pair for four overs. For four players keep two pairs for two overs each. For six or eight follow the arena split, pairs for four overs each. If the room is short, reduce overs rather than crowding the field. A game of six overs per side with full skins feels closer to indoor cricket than a long game where no one can run safely.
Overs and rotation: Mark six ball overs with small stones or coins. Every player bowls before anyone bowls twice, and batters always bat in the same pair until their overs are done. At the end of each over batters change ends and the next bowler starts from the same end unless you have room to switch ends. Keep the ball after each over beside the stumps so the next bowler does not have to chase it.
Scoring on paper: Use four columns per over. Physical runs in the first column, zone bonus in the second, extras in the third, wickets as minus five in the fourth. Say the call aloud as you write it. For example, one physical plus side net one plus no wicket is two runs to the skin. One physical plus back net six is seven. A wicket without a run is minus five. Add each skin separately, then sum all skins for the team total. Teams often tape the sheet to the wall behind the keeper so everyone can see the skin totals grow and fall.
Umpiring basics: One person watches the crease and the wall zones. Give a clear call for no ball when the foot lands over the tape or the ball bounces twice before the stumps on a full toss height, and for wide when the ball is out of reach from a normal guard. On nets, the zone first hit decides. On catches, the hands must be under the ball before it touches the ground or a wall counted as dead, depending on your pre agreed back wall rule. Overthrows count as physical runs only while the ball is live. If you agree that a hit into the TV wall is dead to protect equipment, call it dead immediately and allow only the runs already completed.
Safety as part of play: Keep the swing arc empty, check that no one stands square of the wicket within bat length, keep pets in another room, and keep a soft stop behind the keeper when the front wall is glass or a showcase. Noise carries, so consider neighbours downstairs and use a softer ball after a certain hour. Supervise younger children for the whole innings, help them with guard, grip and backing up rather than leaving them to figure out running on tile.
Game flow example for four in a living room: Pair A bats two overs against Bowler 1 and Bowler 2, Pair B bats two overs against Bowler 3 and Bowler 4, then teams swap. Each bowler delivers one over, each pair faces two overs, bonuses only count after a physical run, every wicket is minus five, and the chase continues for its full overs even if the total is passed. The whole contest is eight overs plus a one over super over if tied, which is enough time for every player to bowl, bat and field near the nets.
Where MetaShot fits
After a few home sessions most families hit the same limit. A real ball even when soft still needs retrieval, a missed swing can still clip nearby objects, and a full game needs enough space for running. MetaShot keeps the batting action at the centre and removes the travelling ball from the room. You swing a motion sensing smart bat against the in game bowler in practice and multiplayer modes, get light and vibration feedback on the bat for timing, and play the match on a phone, tablet, laptop or TV while the field, score and nets live on screen.
The experience is familiar for anyone who has played indoor cricket. You still watch the hand, choose to leave or hit, and run between wickets in the game. The nets, zones and minus five skins can be felt in the way the game rewards placement rather than slogging. The living room benefit is simple, no ball flying around the room and no need to move furniture to create a long runway for every delivery.
Setup takes a few steps. Download the free MetaShot game, connect the bat over Bluetooth, pick a mode in the app, and use the MHL connector if you want the bowler and score on the TV. For device specific steps see the Product Setup page.
Families often keep the plastic stumps and soft ball for weekend society games and use MetaShot on weekdays when time and space are tight. A short practice block for timing, a two over match for the house skin total, and a shared score sheet on the fridge keeps the rotation tight. Explore the full range on Smart Bat and MetaShot GO pages, or start with the FAQs if you are comparing it with console or VR cricket options.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players do we need for indoor cricket at home?
Two is enough for a full skin game. Play two pairs for two overs each with four players, or one pair for four overs with two players, so every batter gets a fair block. If you have only a narrow passage, keep teams to four per side for six overs rather than crowding eight into a small box. The arena standard is eight per side for sixteen overs, with six aside for twelve as the shorter league format.
Do net bonus runs count without running?
No, in arena rules a bonus counts only when at least one physical run is completed after the hit. At home copy the same idea. Call side wall one, back wall four on bounce or six on the full, but require the batters to cross for the bonus to stand. That stops a single wall thump from deciding the skin.
What ball is best for a flat or apartment?
A tennis ball is quietest, a taped tennis ball carries pace and skids more like the arena ball without hardness, and a rubber windball is softest around furniture. Pick one ball for the whole session and keep bowling gentle and underarm if the stumps are close. A standard leather ball is not suitable for indoor or apartment play.
How do wickets work with the minus five rule?
Every dismissal costs the batting team five runs, and the batter stays in to complete the pair's overs. Keep a skin total per pair as runs plus bonuses minus five per wicket, then add all skins for the team total. Both batters can be out on the same ball, for example a catch and a run out, so fielders should stay live until the ball is called dead.
Can we play indoor cricket without clearing a large room?
Yes, if you control the ball and the arc. Use a soft ball, mark creases with tape, keep a two metre clear radius around the batter, play in socks, move breakables, and keep the non striker behind the bat. For even smaller spaces MetaShot lets you bat against an in game bowler with a motion sensing bat and light and vibration feedback, so you can play a full match on your phone, tablet, laptop or TV without a ball travelling around the room. See the Product Setup page for connection steps.