The wide ball rule
An umpire calls a wide when the ball is too far from the batter to be hit with a normal shot. The batting side gets one extra run, and the ball has to be bowled again.
The key points
- A wide gives one run plus any runs the batters take or any boundary.
- It does not count as one of the six balls in the over.
- Limited-overs cricket judges wides much more strictly than Test cricket.
How the umpire decides
The umpire asks whether the ball passed out of the batter's reach while standing in a normal guard position. If the batter moves and brings the ball within reach, it is not a wide. It is also not a wide if the ball touches the bat or the batter.
Wides in limited-overs cricket
In ODIs and T20s, almost any ball passing down the leg side of the batter is called a wide. Guide lines painted on the pitch help umpires judge wides outside off stump. This makes bowlers aim straighter.
Can you be out off a wide?
Yes, in a few ways: stumped, run out, hit wicket, and obstructing the field. For example, a keeper can stump a batter who steps out and misses a wide.
Wides and bowling figures
Wide runs count against the bowler's figures. So do no-balls. Byes and leg byes do not.
How wide runs are scored
| What happened | Runs to the team | How it is recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Wide, no runs taken | 1 | 1 wide |
| Wide, batters run 2 | 3 | 3 wides |
| Wide that runs to the boundary | 5 | 5 wides |
All wide runs are recorded as wides and charged to the bowler, never to the batter. A wide does not count as a ball faced.
Where the batter is standing matters
Batters often move around the crease before the ball arrives. Since a 2022 change to the Laws, umpires judge a wide against where the batter was standing when the bowler started the run-up, as well as a normal guard position. A batter who walks across towards off stump cannot make a ball "wide" by moving away from it.
High wides
In limited-overs internationals, a ball that passes above the batter's head while they stand upright is called a wide. It may also count towards the bowler's bouncer limit for the over.
Wide or no-ball?
If a delivery is both a wide and a no-ball, the no-ball takes priority. The umpire calls a no-ball, and a free hit follows in limited-overs cricket.
Why Test cricket is more relaxed
In Test cricket, bowlers often bowl outside off stump to tempt an edge. Batters are also expected to leave balls alone. So umpires only call a wide when the ball is truly out of reach. In ODIs and T20s, the tighter wide rule stops bowlers from simply bowling where batters cannot score.
Frequently asked questions
How many runs is a wide?
A wide gives one run, plus any runs the batters complete or a boundary if the ball runs away.
Is there a free hit after a wide?
No. A free hit follows a no-ball, not a wide. A wide during a free hit keeps the free hit going.
Can you be stumped off a wide?
Yes. You can be stumped, run out, hit wicket or out for obstructing the field off a wide.
Does a wide count against the bowler?
Yes. All wide runs are charged to the bowler's figures.
Can a wide be called if the ball hits the batter?
No. If the ball touches the batter or the bat, the umpire cannot call a wide.
Is a wide a ball faced by the batter?
No. A wide does not count as a ball faced, and it must be bowled again.