Cricket Wicket Types Explained — All 10 Ways to Get Out
Learn all 10 ways a batter can be dismissed in cricket — bowled, LBW, caught, run out, stumped, and five rarer modes of dismissal, with examples of each.
Under the Laws of Cricket, there are 10 different ways a batter can be dismissed. The five most common are encountered in almost every match; the five rare dismissals may only be seen a few times in an entire career at the highest level. Understanding all 10 dismissals helps fans read scorecards and appreciate the full range of decisions umpires are asked to make.
The 5 Common Dismissals
- Bowled: the ball hits the stumps and dislodges the bails. The batter does not need to touch the ball — a ball deflecting off the pad or bat into the stumps counts as bowled.
- Caught: the batter hits the ball with the bat (or glove while holding the bat) and a fielder catches it before it touches the ground. Caught behind (wicketkeeper) and caught in the slips are the most common caught dismissals.
- LBW (Leg Before Wicket): the batter's body (usually the pad) prevents a delivery from hitting the stumps, and the umpire judges it would have hit. Multiple conditions must all be satisfied for LBW.
- Run Out: a fielder hits the stumps (with ball in hand or by throwing) while a batter is out of their crease attempting a run. The batter closest to the broken end is dismissed.
- Stumped: the wicketkeeper collects the ball (after the bowler has delivered it) and breaks the stumps while the batter is out of their crease but not attempting a run. Stumped only applies to the striker.
The 5 Rare Dismissals
- Hit Wicket: the batter dislodges the bails with their bat, body, clothing, or equipment while playing a shot or setting off for the first run of the shot. Very rare — typically happens when a batter swings and steps back onto the stumps.
- Handled the Ball / Obstructing the Field (merged in 2017): the batter deliberately handles the ball without the fielding side's consent or deliberately obstructs a fielder. Now governed by Law 37 (Obstructing the Field).
- Hit the Ball Twice: the batter deliberately hits the ball a second time with the bat (to protect the stumps with the first hit is legal — hitting a second time for runs is not).
- Timed Out: an incoming batter takes more than 3 minutes to arrive at the crease after the previous wicket falls. Almost never enforced in practice but technically possible.
- Retired Out: a batter who retires without injury or illness and does not return to bat can be recorded as Retired Out, which counts as a dismissal (unlike Retired Hurt).
Reading a Scorecard's Mode of Dismissal
Scorecards record the mode of dismissal next to each batter's score. 'b Cummins' means bowled by Cummins. 'c Pant b Ashwin' means caught by Pant off Ashwin's bowling. 'lbw b Bumrah' means LBW to Bumrah. 'run out (Clarke)' means run out, with Clarke credited for the fielding. 'st Buttler b Rashid' means stumped by Buttler off Rashid.
Frequently asked questions
How many ways can a batter be dismissed in cricket?
There are 10 ways a batter can be dismissed in cricket: bowled, caught, LBW, run out, stumped, hit wicket, obstructing the field, hit the ball twice, timed out, and retired out. The first five are by far the most common.
What is the most common wicket in cricket?
Caught is the most common mode of dismissal in cricket, accounting for approximately 55–60% of all Test wickets. Within caught dismissals, caught behind (wicketkeeper) is the most frequent single sub-type.
What is the difference between run out and stumped?
Run out occurs when either batter is out of their crease while attempting a run and the wicket is put down by the fielding side. Stumped only applies to the striker, who is out of their crease while not attempting a run, and the wicketkeeper puts the wicket down with the ball. Stumpings can only be taken by the wicketkeeper; run outs can be taken by any fielder.
Can a batter be out without facing a ball?
Yes — a batter can be run out without facing a delivery (e.g. if their partner plays a shot and the non-striker is run out attempting a run). This is sometimes called a 'diamond duck'. They can also be timed out if they take too long to reach the crease, though this has only happened once in international cricket.