Iyini iCricket kwezemidlalo?
Context:Ikhilikithi ngumdlalo we-bat-and-ball odlalwa phakathi kwamaqembu amabili wabadlali abayishumi nanye enkundleni enkabeni ye-pitch engamamitha angama-22 (20 amamitha) ene-wicket ekugcineni ngakunye, ngayinye iqukethe ama-bails amabili alinganiswe ezigxotsheni ezintathu. Iqembu elishayayo lifaka amagoli ngokushaya ibhola eligoqiwe kwelinye lama-wicket ngebhantshi bese ligijima phakathi kwama-wicket, kuyilapho iqembu elishayayo nelishaya inkambu lizama ukuvimbela lokhu (ngokuvimbela ibhola ukuthi lingashiyi inkambu, futhi lithole ibhola kunoma yiliphi i-wicket) futhi likhiphe i-batter ngayinye (ngakho-ke "baphuma"). Izindlela zokukhishwa zifaka phakathi ukujikijelwa, lapho ibhola lishaya iziqu bese likhipha ama-bails, futhi ohlangothini lwe-fielding noma ukubamba ibhola ngemuva kokushaywa yisigubhu, kepha ngaphambi kokushaya phansi, noma ukushaya i-wicket ngebhola ngaphambi kokuthi i-batter ikwazi ukuwela i-crease phambi kwe-wicket. Lapho sekukhishwe abashayi abayishumi, i-innings iyaphela futhi amaqembu ashintshana ngezindima. Umdlalo unqunywa ngabahluleli ababili, basizwa umahluleli wesithathu kanye nomphathi womdlalo emidlalweni yamazwe omhlaba. Zixhumana nabashayi ababili abaphuma ngaphandle kwebala abaqopha imininingwane yezibalo zomdlalo.  Amafomu ekhilikithi asukela ku-Twenty20, lapho iqembu ngalinye lishaya i-innings eyodwa yama-overs angama-20 (i- "over" ngayinye iqoqo lamathuba ama-6 alungile eqenjini elishayayo lokushaya amagoli) futhi umdlalo uvame ukuhlala amahora amathathu, kuya emidlalweni yokuhlola edlalwa izinsuku ezinhlanu. Ngokwesiko abadlali bekhilikithi badlala ngezimpahla ezimhlophe, kodwa kuma-overs alinganiselwe badlala amakhilikithi agqoke imibala yeklabhu noma yeqembu. Ngaphezu kwezinto eziyisisekelo, abanye abadlali bagqoka izingubo zokuzivikela ukuze bavimbele ukulimala okubangelwa ibhola, eliyi-spheroid eqinile, eqinile eyenziwe ngesikhumba esicindezelweyo esinomthungo othungwe ophakanyiswe kancane ohlanganisa umgogodla wekhork ohlanganiswe ngentambo eboshwe ngokuqinile.
Ikhilikithi ngumdlalo othandwa kakhulu owavela ezifundeni eziseningizimu-mpumalanga yeNgilandi futhi manje usuwumdlalo ovelele emazweni amaningi ikakhulukazi amazwe aseningizimu ye-Asia njengeNdiya, iPakistan, iSri Lanka neBangladesh. Ngokuyisisekelo kuwumdlalo webhantshi nebhola odlalwa phakathi kwamaqembu amabili adlala abadlali abayishumi nanye enkundleni. Iqembu elishayayo lifaka amagoli ngokushaya ibhola ngesigubhu bese ligijima phakathi kwamawikethi, kuyilapho iqembu elishayayo nelishaya inkambu lizama ukuvimbela lokhu futhi likhiphe i-batter ngayinye. Amafomu ekhilikithi asukela ku-Twenty20, usuku olulodwa kuya kumdlalo we-Test othatha izinsuku ezifika kwezi-5. Lo mdlalo owaqala njengomdlalo wezingane manje usuwumdlalo wokuncintisana okuncintisana kakhulu olandelwa yizigidigidi zabantu futhi eminyakeni eyishumi edlule uthengiswa ezingeni leklabhu ngokwethulwa kwe-Indian Premier League (IPL).