Wides Explained: When Does a Bowler Bowl a Wide in Cricket?

A wide (Law 22) is called when an umpire judges that a delivery passes so far from the batting crease that it is out of reach of the batter standing in a normal guard position. Wides are called by the square-leg or leg-side umpire raising one arm horizontally. When a wide is called, one extra run is added to the batting team's total, and the delivery must be re-bowled (does not count as one of the over's six legal deliveries). Wides do not count in the bowler's overs bowled for economy rate calculation but do count in the wide total in the scorecard.

Wide Criteria: Tests vs Limited-Overs

The criteria for calling a wide differs significantly between Test cricket and limited-overs cricket. In Test cricket, the wide line is wider — more deliveries pass without being called wide, as batters are expected to leave deliveries they cannot reach. In limited-overs cricket (ODIs and T20s), the wide line is stricter — deliveries that pass wide of the off stump or high above the batsman are more readily called wide to discourage defensive bowling outside the hitting arc. Specifically, in limited-overs cricket: deliveries above shoulder height (when the batter is in their normal guard) are generally called wide; deliveries more than a bat's width outside the off stump are typically called wide. In Tests, umpires allow bowlers more latitude.

Down the Leg Side Wides

The most common wide called in limited-overs cricket is the 'down the leg side wide' — a delivery that passes behind the batter's legs (on the leg side, past the body) without passing through the hitting zone. Wrist spinners and leg-spinners frequently concede leg-side wides when their deliveries drift too far. In T20 cricket, leg-side wides (deliveries passing behind the batter's legs outside the line of the leg stump) are called strictly — the ICC directive is that any delivery going down the leg side and passing the batting crease without the batter being able to play it should be called wide.

Effect on the Match

Wides have several effects on a match: (1) Extra runs for the batting team — a wide plus any overthrows or runs the batters take while the ball is in play after the wide. (2) The delivery must be re-bowled — a bowler who bowls multiple wides effectively lengthens the over and their bowling spell without making progress toward the wicket. (3) In a tight T20 or ODI final over, one wide can cost a bowler significant pressure — suddenly needing to deliver 7 balls instead of 6 in the final over, with a batsman positioned for the extra delivery. (4) Bowlers who consistently bowl wides (particularly leg-side wides) have higher economy rates and are less trusted in death bowling roles.