Wide Balls in Cricket: Rules, Scoring and How Umpires Judge Width
Learn the wide ball rule in cricket — what makes a delivery a wide, how they are scored, the difference between Test and limited-overs wide standards, and their consequences.
A wide is a delivery that the umpire judges the batter would be unable to hit with a normal cricket stroke. Wides award 1 penalty run to the batting team and must be re-bowled — they do not count as a legal delivery toward the over.
What counts as a wide
The standard for a wide differs between formats. In Test cricket, the umpire applies the traditional 'wrist outside off stump or over head' standard, allowing some latitude. In limited-overs cricket (ODIs and T20s), the standard is stricter: any delivery passing outside a marked white line (the wide line, roughly one bat-width outside off stump or beyond leg stump) is called a wide.
Format-by-format wide standard
| Format | Off side wide | Leg side wide |
|---|---|---|
| Tests | Well outside the batter's reach — umpire's discretion | Down leg — batter cannot reach |
| ODIs | Passes outside the wide line | Passes leg stump outside |
| T20s | Stricter than ODI — any ball drifting leg or wide off | Very strictly enforced |
Consequences of a wide
- 1 run added to batting team's extras.
- The over does not advance — the delivery is re-bowled.
- Any runs the batters complete off a wide count in addition to the 1 penalty run.
- A batter can be stumped off a wide if they step out of their crease.
- A batter can be run out off a wide.
- No free hit follows a wide (unlike a no-ball in limited overs).
Why T20 wides are called more strictly
T20 cricket was designed to be batter-friendly. The stricter wide standard means bowlers cannot bowl defensively down the leg side or outside the batter's reach to restrict scoring. Any delivery that would force the batter to improvise an impractical shot is a wide — this encourages bowlers to pitch in good areas rather than evade the batter.
Frequently asked questions
What is a wide in cricket?
A wide is a delivery the umpire judges the batter could not reasonably hit with a normal stroke. It awards 1 penalty run and is not counted as a legal delivery.
Can a batter be out off a wide?
Yes. A batter can be stumped or run out off a wide. They cannot be bowled, caught, LBW, or hit-wicket off a wide.
Is a wide the same as a no-ball?
No. A wide is a delivery too far from the batter to hit. A no-ball is usually a delivery that breaks a bowling law (e.g. front-foot violation). Both add 1 run, but only a no-ball triggers a free hit in limited overs.