Cricket Wide Ball — Rules, Types, and Impact on Play
A complete guide to wide balls in cricket — the Laws governing what constitutes a wide, differences by format, and consequences for the bowling side.
A wide ball is an illegal delivery in cricket that passes too far outside the batting crease for the batter to play a normal cricket stroke. Wide balls result in one extra run to the batting side and must be re-bowled. In limited-overs cricket (T20 and ODI), wide balls are judged more strictly than in Test cricket, with any delivery passing above shoulder height also called wide.
What Constitutes a Wide?
Under Law 22, an umpire calls a wide if the ball passes too far from the batter to be fairly reached by a normal cricket stroke. The standard varies by format. In Test cricket, the wide line is drawn at roughly 30–35 cm outside off stump, giving bowlers significant latitude. In limited-overs cricket, any delivery outside the return crease is typically called wide, and a ball passing above the batter's shoulder is automatically wide regardless of its line.
Differences by Format
| Format | Wide Line (Approximate) | Height Wide? |
|---|---|---|
| Test cricket | Ball must pass a conventional bat stroke line | Only if extremely high |
| ODI cricket | Stricter — ball outside return crease area | Above shoulder = wide |
| T20 cricket | Strictest — very tight wide line | Above shoulder = wide |
Consequences of a Wide
- 1 extra run scored for the batting side (credited to Extras, not the batter)
- The delivery does not count as one of the over's balls — it must be re-bowled
- Any runs scored from the wide (e.g. overthrows) are also added as extras
- The batter cannot be dismissed by most methods off a wide (except run out, hit wicket, or obstructing the field)
Bowling Strategy and Wide Balls
Wide balls in limited-overs cricket can severely damage a team's score — a single over with three wides effectively costs the bowling team 3 extra deliveries of runs. Death-over bowlers who bowl wide yorkers — aiming for the outside of off stump — must be precise enough to stay within the wide line while still targeting the danger zone. Wides in the final overs of T20s can be particularly costly as fielding restrictions apply.
Frequently asked questions
Does a wide ball count as a ball in the over?
No. A wide delivery must be re-bowled and does not count as one of the legal deliveries in the over. An over only ends after six legal deliveries.
Can a batter be dismissed off a wide in cricket?
A batter cannot be dismissed bowled, caught, LBW, or stumped off a wide ball. However, a batter can be dismissed by run out, hit wicket, or obstructing the field off a wide delivery.