There are 10 ways a batter can be out in cricket, such as being bowled, caught out, or given LBW. Let’s dive into each of these methods and learn some interesting stories from cricket history.
In cricket, a batter can be dismissed in 10 different ways, with five being more common and the other five less frequent. When a batter is dismissed, it means their time at the crease is over, either for that match (in limited overs) or for that inning (in Test cricket).
When a batter is dismissed, the next one in line steps up to bat and keeps the game going. If a team loses 10 wickets, they are said to be “all-out.” Once the first team’s batters are all dismissed, the opposing team takes over to chase the runs within the set overs.
For bowlers, getting a batter out is their main job, and there are several ways to do it. Let’s look at all of them below.
10 Ways a Batter Can Be Out in Cricket
| Type of Out | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Bowled | When the ball hits the stumps behind the batter. |
| 2. Caught | When a batter hits the ball, and a fielder catches it before it touches the ground. |
| 3. Stumped | When the wicketkeeper breaks the stumps before the batter can get back behind the crease. |
| 4. Leg Before Wicket | When the ball hits the batter (not the bat) in line with the stumps, and the umpire decides it’s out. |
| 5. Obstructing the Field | When a batter deliberately interferes with a fielder’s attempt to play the ball. |
| 6. Run Out | When a fielder breaks the stumps while the batter is still running between the wickets. |
| 7. Timed Out | When a new batter takes longer than 3 minutes to reach the crease after a dismissal. |
| 8. Hit Wicket | When the batter accidentally hits their own stumps while playing the ball. |
| 9. Retired Out | When a batter leaves the field voluntarily without the umpire’s decision. |
| 10. Hit the Ball Twice | When the batter strikes the ball twice in one delivery (only the first hit is allowed). |
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1. Bowled Out
The most admired dismissal in cricket is when the bowler beats the batter, and the ball crashes into the stumps. Even if the ball touches the batter’s body before hitting the stumps, it’s still counted as a bowled-out.
2. Caught Out
This is the most common dismissal. A batter is caught out when a fielder catches the ball directly off the bat without it touching the ground. There are variations like “caught behind” (caught by the wicketkeeper) or “caught and bowled” (caught by the bowler).
3. Leg Before Wicket (LBW)
An LBW happens when a ball strikes any part of the batter’s body, except the bat or gloves, and the umpire believes it would have hit the stumps. The rules around LBW have evolved, with terms like “umpire’s call” being important for decisions.
4. Run-Out
This occurs when a batter fails to reach the crease while running between wickets and a fielder breaks the stumps with the ball. Umpires often refer to the third umpire to review close run-out calls using video replays.
5. Stumped
Stumping happens when a wicketkeeper removes the bails while the batter is out of their crease, often when facing spin bowling.
6. Retired Out
A batter is said to be retired out if they leave the field without being dismissed by a bowler or an umpire’s decision. This is rare but occurred in IPL 2022 when Ravichandran Ashwin became the first player to be retired out voluntarily.
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7. Hit the Ball Twice
This is one of the rarest dismissals, where a batter is given out for deliberately hitting the ball twice in one delivery.
8. Hit-Wicket
If a batter accidentally dislodges the stumps while trying to play the ball, they are given out. A famous incident occurred when Kevin Pietersen’s helmet fell on the stumps after being struck by a bouncer.
9. Obstructing the Field
A batter can be dismissed if they purposely obstruct a fielder’s attempt to play the ball. England’s Len Hutton was one of the first players given out this way in a Test match.
10. Timed-Out
If a new batter takes longer than the allowed time to come to the crease, they can be timed-out. The only player ever dismissed this way was Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
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