Wides and No-Balls in Cricket Explained
A complete guide to wides and no-balls in cricket — the rules, how they are signalled, what happens next, and why they matter in close matches.
Wides and no-balls are penalty deliveries in cricket — illegal deliveries bowled by the fielding team that add runs to the batting team's total and must be rebowled. They can be the difference between winning and losing in tight matches; a bowler who bowls several wides or no-balls in the final over can give away the game.
What is a Wide?
A wide is a delivery that passes too far outside the off or leg stump for the batter to reach with a normal batting stance and normal shot. The umpire signals a wide by extending both arms horizontally. One run is added to extras. The delivery is not legal, does not count toward the over, and must be rebowled. Any runs completed by the batters in addition to the penalty run are also added to extras.
What is a No-Ball?
A no-ball is an illegal delivery that can be called for several reasons. The most common is the front-foot no-ball: the bowler's front foot lands fully over the popping crease at the point of delivery. One run is added to extras, the delivery is rebowled, and — crucially — the batter cannot be dismissed except by run out off a no-ball. A no-ball also triggers a free hit in T20 and ODI cricket.
Reasons for a No-Ball
- Front-foot no-ball: bowler's front foot lands beyond the popping crease.
- Back-foot no-ball: bowler's back foot lands outside the return crease (less common).
- Beamer: a full-toss above waist height — extremely dangerous and an automatic no-ball.
- Ball bouncing more than twice before the batting crease (rare).
- Bowling underarm in an international match (not permitted under ICC playing conditions).
- Too many fielders outside the fielding restrictions circle during a powerplay.
The Free Hit
In T20 and ODI cricket, a front-foot no-ball is followed by a mandatory free hit — a delivery on which the batter cannot be dismissed except by run out. The umpire signals the free hit by rotating their arm in a circle. Fielders cannot be changed between the no-ball and the free hit (except for an injury). Free hits are one of the most exciting moments in limited-overs cricket — batters often take calculated risks.
Frequently asked questions
What happens after a wide in cricket?
After a wide, 1 run is added to the batting team's extras total. Any runs completed by the batters are also added to extras. The delivery is invalid and must be rebowled. The over is not complete until the required number of legal deliveries have been bowled.
What is a free hit in cricket?
A free hit is a special delivery that follows a front-foot no-ball in T20 and ODI cricket. On a free hit, the batter can only be dismissed by run out — all other dismissals (bowled, caught, LBW, stumped, etc.) are invalid. It is signalled by the umpire rotating one arm in a circle.
Can a batter be out off a no-ball?
A batter can only be dismissed off a no-ball by run out. All other forms of dismissal — bowled, caught, LBW, stumped — are invalid off a no-ball delivery. This is why bowlers must be extremely disciplined with their front-foot landing.
Is there a free hit in Test cricket?
No — free hits only apply in T20 and ODI cricket, not in Test cricket. In Tests, a no-ball adds one run to extras and must be rebowled, but there is no mandatory free hit delivery following it.