Wide Ball vs No Ball in Cricket — Rules, Penalties & Differences
A wide and a no-ball both cost the batting team an extra run and a re-bowl, but the rules that define each are different. Learn what separates them and when a free hit follows.
Both a wide and a no-ball are illegal deliveries that cost the batting side an extra run and must be re-bowled. Despite that shared penalty, they are called for completely different reasons — one is about where the ball pitches or passes the batter, the other is about how the bowler delivers it.
What is a wide ball?
A wide is called when the ball passes too far outside off stump or too far down leg for a reasonable batter in normal guard position to play it. The umpire at the bowler's end signals a wide by stretching both arms out horizontally. The batting side gains one extra run, and the ball is bowled again — it does not count as one of the six balls in the over.
What is a no-ball?
A no-ball is an infringement by the bowler at the moment of delivery. The most common type is a front-foot no-ball: the bowler's front foot lands beyond the popping crease without any part of the foot behind the line. Other types include a full-toss above waist height (a beamer), delivering from the wrong side of the wicket, or bouncing the ball more than twice in one delivery before it reaches the batter.
Penalties compared
| Rule | Wide | No-Ball |
|---|---|---|
| Extra runs awarded | 1 | 1 |
| Re-bowled? | Yes — doesn't count as a legal ball | Yes — doesn't count as a legal ball |
| Batter can be dismissed? | Only run out, hit wicket or obstructing the field | Only run out (in T20/ODI: triggers a free hit) |
| Free hit follows? | No | Yes — in T20 and ODI only |
| Applies to batter's score? | No — goes to extras | No — goes to extras |
| Counts against bowler's economy? | Yes | Yes |
Can a batter be out off a wide or no-ball?
Off a wide ball, the batter can be dismissed by run-out, hit wicket, handled the ball (obsolete — now 'obstructing the field'), or obstructing the field. They cannot be bowled, caught, LBW, or stumped. Off a no-ball, the only possible dismissal is run-out. In T20 and ODI cricket, the delivery after a no-ball is a free hit, where the batter still cannot be dismissed by most methods.
Wides, no-balls and the over count
Neither a wide nor a no-ball counts as one of the six legal deliveries in an over. An over with three wides, for example, will contain nine or more total deliveries — six legal plus the three wides. This is why a bowler's over count on the scorecard reflects only legal deliveries, while their economy rate accounts for all runs conceded including extras.
Frequently asked questions
Does a wide ball count as a delivery in cricket?
No. A wide does not count as one of the six legal deliveries in an over. It must be re-bowled, and one extra run is added to the batting team's total.
Does a no-ball always result in a free hit?
Only in T20 and ODI cricket. In Test cricket, a no-ball costs one extra run and must be re-bowled, but no free hit follows.
Can a batter be LBW off a wide?
No. LBW is not a valid dismissal off a wide ball. The batter can only be dismissed by run-out, hit wicket, or obstructing the field.
What is the penalty for a no-ball in cricket?
One extra run is added to the batting team's total, and the ball is re-bowled. In T20 and ODI cricket, the next delivery is a free hit, where the batter cannot be dismissed except by run-out.
What is a front-foot no-ball?
When the bowler's front (leading) foot lands beyond the popping crease — the white line at the batting end — without any part of the foot behind it, a front-foot no-ball is called. It is the most frequent type of no-ball.