What Every Umpire Signal Means: The Complete Visual Language of Cricket
A complete guide to all umpire signals used in international cricket — four boundaries, sixes, wides, no-balls, byes, leg-byes, dead balls, revoked decisions, out, and DRS signals — why each signal is made, how the square-leg and on-field umpires coordinate, and what the third umpire signals back to the field via TV replay.
Scoring Signals
Umpire signals communicate match events to scorers (who update the official scorecard) and to players when the result of a delivery is ambiguous or when extras need to be categorised. The on-field umpire makes all primary signals and the square-leg umpire confirms boundary calls. Key scoring signals: Four boundary — both arms extended at shoulder height horizontally (mimicking a barrier); Six — both arms raised directly above the head; One short — one hand touches the opposite shoulder briefly (indicating the batters did not complete the run due to a short run). Scoring signals must be held long enough for both scorers to acknowledge them — scorers raise their scoring sheets to confirm.
Extras signals: Wide — both arms extended at shoulder height (the same starting position as a four, but maintained and combined with calling 'wide'); No-ball — one arm extended horizontally outward (bowler's-end umpire extends the arm on the side the ball passed over the crease); Bye — raised hand with open palm, indicating the batters ran off a ball that beat both bat and pad (no edge, no touch); Leg-bye — the knee is touched with the hand, indicating the ball struck the body (not the bat) and the batters ran. Wide extras and no-ball extras have their combined signal sequences.
Decision Signals
Dismissal signals: Out — index finger raised (the traditional 'finger of doom'); if the batsman is not given out after a close review, the umpire signals 'not out' with both hands crossed at the wrist in front of the body. Dead ball — both hands crossed and uncrossed below the waist level, indicating play is suspended (a dead ball may be signalled after a no-ball where the delivery was dangerous, or when an injury or outside interference stops play).
DRS signals: When a team calls for DRS review, the on-field umpire signals to the third umpire by drawing a rectangular shape in the air with two fingers (mimicking a television screen). The third umpire's response comes via an earpiece — the on-field umpire may then raise a 'soft signal' of their view before the third umpire rules. If the third umpire's evidence is inconclusive, 'umpire's call' is confirmed and the original on-field decision stands. The on-field umpire then uses their regular out/not-out signals to confirm the final decision.
Square-Leg Umpire Coordination
The square-leg umpire (positioned on the leg side, roughly square to the striker) has primary responsibility for calling wides on the leg side (deliveries that pass the batsman down the leg side outside the wide line), run-out decisions at the batting-crease end when the batsman runs towards them, short-run decisions, and stumpings when the wicket-keeper's end is to their left. The bowler's-end umpire handles LBW decisions, no-ball calls (foot placement), front-foot wides, and stumpings from the wicket-keeper's end. Both umpires communicate via hand signals to each other to confirm boundary status — the square-leg umpire typically confirms a four with the horizontal arm signal before the bowler's-end umpire holds it officially.
Frequently asked questions
What signal does an umpire make for a boundary following a no-ball?
When a no-ball is followed by a four boundary (the ball reaches the boundary after a no-ball delivery), the umpire signals both events in sequence: first the no-ball signal (one arm extended horizontally), then the four signal (both arms extended horizontally). The batting team receives both the no-ball penalty run and the four boundary runs — 5 runs total from that delivery, plus any runs the batters completed between the wickets. The scorer records both signals: the delivery is entered as a no-ball extra with a 4 boundary extra in most scoring systems.
Can a batsman be out off a wide delivery?
Yes, a batsman can be dismissed off a wide ball in limited ways: stumped (the wicket-keeper gathers the wide delivery and removes the bails while the batsman is out of their crease), run-out (the batsmen attempt to run on a wide delivery and one is found short), handled the ball / obstructing the field (very rare, but possible even off a wide). LBW, bowled, caught, and hit-wicket cannot be given off a wide delivery (the ball has already been called wide, removing standard dismissal options). The wide is still recorded as an extra regardless of whether a wicket falls.
How do scorers know which umpire signal to record?
Scorers (of whom there are two — one from each team in official matches) are positioned with a clear view of the on-field umpire and must track every delivery. They must acknowledge each signal by raising the score sheet or their hand to indicate they have recorded the event. In ICC matches, a 'third scorer' is sometimes present for official electronic scoring. Signals are made sequentially for complex deliveries (no-ball then extra type) and scorers are expected to record in the order signalled. Any scoring dispute is referred to the match referee.