How to Play Hand Cricket

The basics in one minute

1. Toss a coin. Winner picks bat first or bowl first.
2. Every ball, both players pick a number from 0 to 6 simultaneously.
3. If the numbers match, the batter is OUT.
4. If they don't match, the batter scores their number as runs.
5. Innings end when the batting side runs out of wickets, runs out of overs, or — in chase — overhauls the target.
6. After both innings, the team with more runs wins.

The toss

Before the match begins, one player calls Heads or Tails. The winner chooses to bat first or bowl first. This is identical to the real-cricket coin toss.

How each ball works

Both players secretly choose a number from 0 to 6. Once both have chosen, the numbers are revealed simultaneously.

• If the batter's number ≠ the bowler's number: The batter scores their number as runs (so picking 6 = score 6, picking 4 = score 4, picking 0 = "dot ball" with no runs scored).
• If the batter's number = the bowler's number: The batter is OUT. One wicket falls.

Special cases:

• OUT on 0: If a batter is out without scoring any runs, it's called a DUCK.
• The bowler has no penalty for picking 0 — the batter just doesn't score.

Overs and wickets

One over is 6 balls. You configure the match length before play:

Over options

• 2 overs — Super-quick T2 format (about 3–5 minutes)
• 5 overs — Power Play length
• 10 overs — Mid-length innings
• 20 overs — Full T20 format
• Unlimited (Test) — Innings ends only when all wickets fall

Wicket options

• 1 wicket — One-and-done, fast-paced
• 3 wickets — Default, balanced
• 5 wickets — Longer match
• 10 wickets — Full cricket-team length (only practical with team mode)

Innings

An innings ends when one of:

• The batting side loses all its wickets
• The batting side finishes the maximum number of overs
• In the second innings, the batting side overtakes the first innings score (chase complete — they win)

After the first innings, sides switch. The team that bats second now chases the target set by the first innings.

Winning

• Win by runs: The team batting first wins if the chasing side falls short — "Won by 25 runs"
• Win by wickets: The chasing team wins if they overhaul the target without losing all their wickets — "Won by 4 wickets"
• Tie: Both sides score the same total — a true cricket rarity, but possible

Milestones

Hand Cricket celebrates the same milestones as real cricket:

For batters

• Fifty (50): A half-century. Full-screen celebration with confetti.
• Century (100): A hundred runs. The biggest celebration in the game — gold burst, particles, light beams.
• Duck: Out without scoring. A sad commiseration animation.

For bowlers

• Hat-trick: Three wickets in three consecutive balls. Red flash + dramatic animation.
• Five-wicket haul: Five wickets in one innings. Particle storm celebration.

Game modes in the app

Offline (vs Bot)

Solo play against an AI opponent. Three difficulty levels:

• Easy: Bot picks randomly — good for learning
• Medium: Bot uses light strategy and tries to predict your patterns
• Hard: Bot tracks your tendencies and plays adaptively — hard to beat

Online 1v1

Real-time match against another player. Create a room (public or private) or join via room code. Both players pick simultaneously on each ball.

Team Mode

The most ambitious mode — full 11-a-side or smaller team cricket. Two teams of up to 11 players each. One player from each team bats/bowls at any given time, with strike rotation working like real cricket. Includes audience mode for spectators.

• Team sizes: 2v2, 3v3, 5v5, or full 11v11
• Audience: Players who join after the teams are full become spectators with TTS commentary
• Captain: The room creator captains their team and chooses bowlers

Strategy tips

• Don't pick the same number twice in a row if you can avoid it — predictable batters get out.
• Save 6 for when the bowler isn't expecting it. Easy bots love picking 6 too — match them when you can.
• As a bowler, observe patterns. If they've picked low numbers 3 balls in a row, they're due to switch.
• In a tight chase, calculate the required rate. The app shows it ("RR: 8.5"). If you need 8 per over, you can't keep picking 1s.
• Defend wickets. Going for 6 every ball might score quickly but also gets you out — pick safer numbers when you're chasing comfortably.

Tips for screen reader users

• Every ball is fully narrated: "Bowler picked 3, batter picked 5. Five runs! Score 17 for 1."
• The score, overs, wickets, and required run rate are all available via TalkBack focus.
• Milestone events are announced with high-priority speech: "Fifty! What an innings!" or "Hat trick! Three in a row!"
• Number buttons 0–6 are large and clearly labeled — easy to find without sight.
• The toss is fully audible: the coin flip result is announced, and you can call Heads or Tails by buttons.