Cricket Scorecard Explained — How to Read Every Column
How to read a cricket scorecard — what the batting and bowling columns mean, what abbreviations like c, b, lbw, dnb and nb stand for, and how the scorecard reflects the match.
A cricket scorecard is a complete record of every significant event in a match — every run scored, every wicket taken, every over bowled. Reading a scorecard fluently is one of the most rewarding cricket skills: a single scorecard tells you the entire story of an innings. This guide breaks down every column and abbreviation.
Batting Section
Each batter has a row: Name | How Dismissed | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR. The 'How Dismissed' column uses abbreviations: 'b Bumrah' (bowled by Bumrah), 'c Root b Anderson' (caught by Root off Anderson's bowling), 'lbw b Broad' (LBW off Broad), 'run out (Pope)' (run out, Pope involved in dismissal), 'st Buttler b Rashid' (stumped by Buttler off Rashid). 'not out' means the batter was at the crease when the innings ended. 'DNB' (Did Not Bat) means the innings ended before they came in.
Batting Statistics
Runs: total runs scored. Balls: deliveries faced. 4s: boundaries hit to the fence along the ground. 6s: boundaries hit over the rope in the air. SR: Strike Rate = (Runs ÷ Balls) × 100 — a SR of 100 means a run per ball. Extras appear as a separate line (B: byes, LB: leg byes, W: wides, NB: no-balls, P: penalties). Fall of Wickets shows the score at which each wicket fell: e.g. 1-45 (Smith, 12.3) means the first wicket fell at 45 runs, batter Smith, off the 3rd ball of the 12th over.
Bowling Section
Each bowler has a row: Name | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Extras. Overs: overs bowled (a decimal indicates partial overs — 9.3 = 9 overs and 3 balls). Maidens: overs in which zero runs were conceded. Runs: total runs charged to the bowler. Wickets: wickets taken. Economy: Runs ÷ Overs (runs conceded per over). Extras (Wd/Nb) are noted against the bowler who bowled them.
Common Abbreviations
- b — bowled
- c — caught
- lbw — leg before wicket
- st — stumped
- ro — run out
- hit wkt — hit wicket
- not out — innings still in progress or ended
- DNB — did not bat
- TDNB — team did not bat (no second innings started)
- * — not out batter
- † — wicketkeeper
- SR — strike rate
- Econ — economy rate
- M — maiden overs
Frequently asked questions
Why does a scorecard sometimes show 'retired hurt'?
Retired hurt means a batter left the field due to injury during their innings but can return later if they recover. Unlike 'retired out' (which counts as a dismissal), retired hurt does not end the innings — the batter is not out.
What does 'absent hurt' mean on a scorecard?
Absent hurt means a player was not able to bat in the innings due to injury — they are listed at the bottom of the batting order with 0 runs and marked 'absent hurt.' They are not counted as a wicket.
What is a bowling figure like '5-72'?
A bowling figure is written as Wickets-Runs. '5-72' means the bowler took 5 wickets while conceding 72 runs. This is usually listed for a single innings; a match figure (e.g. '10-130') combines both innings.