Cricket Umpire Signals: What Every Signal Means
Cricket umpires communicate decisions and scoring events through a standardised set of hand signals — visible to players, scorers, and spectators. This guide explains every official umpire signal, what each means, and why umpire signalling is an essential part of cricket communication.
Cricket umpires use standardised hand and arm signals to communicate decisions and scoring events to scorers, players, and television broadcast teams simultaneously. The signals are codified in the Laws of Cricket and remain consistent across all formats and nations — an umpire signalling 'four' in a Test at Lord's uses the same gesture as one in a T20 in Lahore. Learning the signals is fundamental to understanding what is happening in a cricket match when verbal commentary is unavailable.
Scoring Signals
Key scoring signals: Four — waving an arm from side to side in front of the body (indicating a boundary four); Six — raising both arms straight above the head (indicating a boundary six); Bye — raising one arm above the head (indicating extras for byes — ball passes keeper and batsmen run); Leg Bye — raising a leg and touching it with one hand (indicating extras for leg byes — ball hit pad, not bat, and batsmen run); Wide — extending both arms horizontally to the sides (indicating a wide delivery); No Ball — extending one arm horizontally to the side (indicating a no ball).
Dismissal Signals
Key dismissal signals: Out — raising the index finger above the head (the most recognisable signal in cricket — often described as 'the finger'); Not Out — typically indicated by shaking the head or waving both hands in front of the body; LBW Out — same as general out (raised index finger); Caught Out — same raised finger, sometimes preceded by touching the shoulder (caught behind), though the caught behind signal varies by umpire. The 'out' signal is universal across formats and the single most important umpire communication in cricket.
Boundary and Review Signals
Other important signals: Dead Ball — crossing and uncrossing arms in front of the body (indicating the ball is out of play — game has stopped temporarily); Short Run — touching one arm above the elbow (indicating a batsman did not complete their run — only one run awarded instead of two for that specific run); Penalty Runs — circling the face with one hand (indicating penalty runs being awarded, typically 5 run penalties for misconduct). Umpires also use specific signals to communicate with the scorers at close of play or during stoppages.
Frequently asked questions
What does the umpire signal for a six in cricket?
A six in cricket is signalled by the umpire raising both arms straight above their head — both hands pointing upward. This signal indicates the batsman has hit the ball over the boundary rope without it bouncing, scoring six runs. The signal is typically accompanied by the fielding umpire at the rope confirming the ball cleared the boundary (not just reached it), and the crowd response usually confirms the six simultaneously.
What does it mean when the umpire raises one finger?
When a cricket umpire raises their index finger above their head, it means the batsman is out (dismissed). This is the universal 'out' signal — used for all dismissals including LBW, caught, bowled, stumped, and run out when referred to the on-field umpire. 'The finger' is cricket's most iconic gesture. If the umpire shakes their head or waves their hands dismissively, the batsman is 'not out.'
What signal does the umpire make for a wide?
A wide is signalled by the umpire extending both arms horizontally to the sides — arms out, palms down, like a T-shape. This indicates the delivery was too wide (or too high in T20s) for the batsman to hit with a conventional shot, resulting in one run being added to the batting team's score (and the delivery must be re-bowled). A no-ball (one arm extended horizontally to one side) is different from a wide.