A wide ball in cricket is a delivery that the umpire considers to have passed too far from the striker to be reasonably playable with a normal cricket stroke. A wide is an illegal delivery, so it does not count as one of the six valid balls in an over. The batting side also receives a one-run penalty when a wide is called.
However, deciding whether a delivery is wide is not simply a matter of checking whether the ball passes outside the stumps. The umpire considers the striker’s position and whether the ball was sufficiently within reach to be played with the bat. The Laws also contain specific provisions for deliveries passing above the striker’s head height.
What is a Wide Ball in Cricket?
Under Law 22 of the Laws of Cricket, a delivery can be called a Wide when it is a No ball and passes wide of where the striker is standing, or has stood, and would also have passed wide of the striker in a normal batting position.
The key consideration is whether the ball is within the striker’s reach. A delivery is considered to have passed wide of the striker unless it is sufficiently close for the batter to hit it with the bat using a normal cricket stroke. This means that there is no single universal distance from the stumps that automatically makes every delivery a wide.
The batter’s movement can also affect the decision. The law takes into account where the striker is standing or has stood after the ball comes into play, rather than treating the batter’s position at only one fixed moment as the reference point. This is particularly relevant when batters move across the crease before a delivery.
When is a Ball Called Wide?
A ball is called wide when the umpire determines that it meets the conditions specified in Law 22. The delivery must first not be a No ball. The umpire then considers whether it passed wide of the striker and whether it would also have passed wide if the striker had been in a normal batting position.
The important point is that the decision is based on the striker’s ability to play the delivery with a normal cricket stroke. Therefore, a ball does not automatically become a wide just because it is outside the batter’s immediate reach at the moment it passes.
The law also addresses high deliveries. Under the 2026 edition of the Laws, a delivery that, after landing, passes or would have passed over the head height of a striker standing upright at the popping crease is considered to have passed wide of the striker.
This is an important change in the 2026 Laws. MCC explains that a bouncer passing above head height will now be treated as a Wide under the Laws rather than a No ball. The new edition comes into force on 1 October 2026.
Does the Batter’s Position Affect a Wide Ball?
Yes. The striker’s position is an important part of determining whether a delivery is wide.
Under the 2026 Laws, the ball is assessed against where the striker is standing or has stood at any point after the ball came into play, while also considering whether the delivery would have passed wide of the striker in a normal batting position.
This provision is particularly relevant because batters can move laterally around the crease before the ball is delivered. The MCC previously explained that the law was amended to deal with situations where a batter moves significantly across the crease and changes the position relative to which a delivery would normally be judged.
In simple terms, a batter’s movement can affect whether a ball is considered wide, but the umpire does not judge the delivery solely by the batter’s final position.
How Many Runs is a Wide Ball?
A wide gives the batting team one penalty run. This run is awarded immediately when the umpire calls Wide. The penalty is recorded as a wide extra and is not added to the striker’s individual score.
Additional runs can also result from the same delivery. For example, the batters may complete runs while the ball is in play, or the ball may reach the boundary. These additional runs are dealt with under the provisions governing runs resulting from a Wide.
Therefore, a wide does not always add only one run to the team’s score. The minimum penalty is one run, but the total from the delivery can be higher. For example, if the umpire calls a wide and the batters complete two additional runs, the batting side receives three runs from the delivery in total.
Does a Wide Ball Count as a Delivery?
No. A wide does not count as one of the six valid balls in an over. The Laws state that only valid balls count towards the six deliveries required to complete an over. Wides and no-balls are specifically excluded from the count.
For example, if a bowler has delivered five valid balls and the next delivery is called a wide, the over has not yet been completed. The bowler must deliver another valid ball. This is why an over can contain more than six deliveries. The six-ball requirement applies to valid balls, rather than every delivery made by the bowler.
Is the Ball Dead After a Wide Is Called?
No. Calling a wide does not automatically make the ball dead.
The ball remains in play, meaning the batters can potentially complete additional runs after the umpire has called a wide. The Laws specifically provide for runs resulting from a Wide.
This is why a wide can result in more than one run. If the ball travels away from the wicketkeeper or reaches the boundary, the batting side may receive additional runs according to the Laws.
The wide call therefore does two main things immediately: it awards the one-run penalty and identifies the delivery as an invalid ball for the purpose of counting the over. It does not, by itself, end the play.
Can a Batter Be Out on a Wide Ball?
Yes, but the possible dismissals are limited. When a Wide has been called, Law 22.9 allows a batter to be dismissed under the laws covering:
- Hit wicket
- Obstructing the field
- Run out
- Stumped
Other forms of dismissal, such as caught or bowled, do not apply to a delivery that remains a Wide. A stumping is particularly relevant to wides. If the striker misses the delivery and leaves the crease, the wicketkeeper can potentially complete a stumping if all the requirements of the relevant dismissal law are satisfied.
Similarly, a batter can be run out while the ball is in play after a wide has been called.
When Can a Wide Call Be Cancelled?
A Wide call can be revoked in specific circumstances under the Laws.
If the delivery subsequently makes contact with the striker’s bat or person before coming into contact with a fielder, the Wide call is revoked. A Wide call can also be overridden when the delivery is subsequently called a No ball, because a No ball takes precedence over a Wide.
This is important because a delivery cannot remain recorded as both a No ball and a Wide. Where a No ball is called, the No ball decision takes precedence.
Wide Ball vs No Ball in Cricket
Although both wides and No balls are illegal deliveries, they are governed by different laws and are called for different reasons.
A Wide primarily relates to the delivery passing beyond the striker’s reasonable reach or meeting the specific conditions under Law 22. A No ball can result from several different violations covered by Law 21, including certain issues involving the bowler’s delivery.
| Rule | Wide Ball | No Ball |
| Main law | Law 22 | Law 21 |
| Penalty | 1 run | 1 run |
| Counts in six-ball over? | No | No |
| Main reason | Delivery passes wide of striker under the Wide law | Delivery breaches one of the No ball conditions |
| Can additional runs be scored? | Yes | Yes |
| Does No ball override Wide? | Yes | No Ball takes precedence |
Both types of illegal deliveries therefore give the batting team a one-run penalty and require another valid delivery before the over can be completed.
Read More: Cricket No Ball Rules
How is a Wide Recorded in the Score?
The one-run penalty from a Wide is recorded as a Wide extra, rather than being credited to the batter. Additional runs resulting from the Wide are also dealt with under the Wide provisions. The Laws specify how these runs are to be recorded and which runs are debited against the bowler.
This means that if a team scores three runs from a Wide, the batter does not receive those three runs in their individual score. They are recorded as wides in the team’s extras. Wides therefore increase the team’s total without increasing the striker’s personal batting score.
Are Wide Ball Rules the Same in All Cricket Formats?
The basic Laws of Cricket provide the framework for wides, but competition-specific playing conditions can modify how certain rules are applied. The ICC publishes separate playing conditions for Tests, ODIs and T20Is, as well as for specific competitions. These documents can contain format-specific provisions and amendments to the Laws.
For example, the ICC introduced a Wide Ball Trial for ODI and T20I cricket from 2025, changing the reference point used for judging certain deliveries when the batter moves around the crease. Under those playing conditions, the position of the batter’s legs at the point of delivery is used as the reference point in specified circumstances.
Therefore, when writing or applying wide-ball rules to a particular competition, it is important to distinguish between the MCC Laws of Cricket and the playing conditions adopted by the governing body for that competition.
Conclusion
The cricket wide ball rules determine whether a delivery has passed outside the striker’s reasonable batting reach and therefore should be called Wide. A Wide gives the batting team one penalty run, does not count as a valid delivery, and does not automatically make the ball dead.
The decision is based on the striker’s position, the ball’s trajectory and whether it could be played with a normal cricket stroke. The 2026 MCC Laws also introduce a specific provision for deliveries passing above the striker’s head height. However, because international competitions can adopt their own playing conditions, the exact application of Wide rules can vary between competitions and formats.
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Frequently Asked Questions
From 1 October 2026, the new MCC Laws specify that a delivery passing or that would have passed, above the head height of a striker standing upright at the popping crease is considered a Wide, provided it meets the relevant conditions. ICC international playing conditions may have additional format-specific provisions.
There is no limit on the number of wides a bowler can bowl in a Test over. A wide does not count as one of the six valid balls, so the bowler must continue until six valid deliveries have been completed.
A delivery is called a wide when it passes too far from the striker to be played with a normal cricket stroke, subject to the striker’s position and the conditions of Law 22. A Wide gives the batting team one penalty run, does not count as a valid ball, and the ball remains in play.
A Wide gives the batting team one penalty run. Additional runs can be scored from the delivery, so the total can be more than one run.
No. A Wide does not count as one of the six valid balls in an over. The bowler must deliver another valid ball.
Yes. Stumped is one of the dismissals permitted from a Wide, provided the requirements of the stumping law are met.
Yes. The Wide penalty and applicable runs resulting from the Wide are charged to the bowler according to the Laws.
