Dead Ball in Cricket
Also known as: dead ball in cricket, dead ball rule in cricket, when is the ball dead in cricket, umpire calls dead ball, ball becomes dead, finally settled ball
A dead ball in cricket is a ball that is no longer in play. As a result, no runs can be scored and nobody can be out from it. It usually becomes dead once it is finally settled with a fielder or the bowler. It is also dead when a boundary is scored or a batter is dismissed. Umpires can also call dead ball.
Law 20 sets out when the ball is dead. Most often it happens naturally. The ball is finally settled when it is in a fielder's hands or still on the ground. The bowler's end umpire judges it is no longer in play. It also becomes dead when a boundary is scored or a batter is out. It is dead when it lodges in a batter's clothing or equipment, or gets trapped between bat and body.
Umpires call and signal dead ball in other cases. Examples include a possibly serious injury, the striker not being ready and not playing at the ball, or a distraction to the striker. Others are the bowler dropping the ball before delivery, or the ball being unrecoverable. The signal is crossing and re-crossing the wrists below the waist.
A called dead ball does not always count as one of the over. If the striker had no chance to play it, it does not count. The ball comes back into play when the bowler starts their run-up.
Tips by skill level
Stay in your ground until the ball is back with the bowler or keeper and settled.
If you are distracted at the moment of delivery, pull away and stay still. The umpire can call dead ball, and it will not count.
Example
The batter pulls away just before the bowler delivers because a spectator moves behind the sightscreen. The umpire calls dead ball, and the delivery does not count.
Why it matters
Knowing when the ball is dead tells you when you can safely relax, and when runs and dismissals still count.
Common mistakes
- Walking out of your ground before the ball is dead
- Assuming a dead ball always counts as a ball of the over
- Starting a run after the umpire has called dead ball
Frequently asked questions
What is a dead ball in cricket?
It is a ball no longer in play. No runs can be scored and no one can be out until the next delivery starts.
When does the ball become dead in cricket?
When it is finally settled with a fielder, when a boundary is scored, or when a batter is out. Umpires can also call dead ball, for example after a serious injury or a distraction.
Sources
- MCC Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code 4th Edition (2026), Law 20.1 (Ball is dead), pp. 64-65; Law 20.4 (Umpire calling and signalling Dead ball), pp. 65-67
- MCC Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code 4th Edition (2026), Law 20.5 (Ball ceases to be dead) and Law 20.7 (Dead ball; ball counting as one of over), p. 68
- MCC Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code 4th Edition (2026), Law 2.13 (Dead ball signal: crossing and re-crossing the wrists), p. 15
Related terms
- No-BallA no-ball is an illegal delivery in cricket. Most commonly when the bowler's front foot lands beyond the popping crease — resulting in one extra run and the delivery being re-bowled. The batter cannot be out bowled, caught, LBW, stumped or hit wicket. Run out, hit the ball twice and obstructing the field still apply (Law 21.17).
- WideA wide is a delivery the umpire judges too wide, or too high, for the striker to hit with a normal cricket stroke from where they stand (Law 22.1). It adds one run and must be bowled again. Many competitions paint wide guide lines and set stricter limits in their playing conditions.
- Hit the Ball TwiceYou can hit the ball a second time only to stop it hitting your stumps. If you strike it again on purpose for any other reason, before a fielder touches it. You are out hit the ball twice under Law 34. Even when the second hit is allowed, no runs can be scored from it.
- Overthrows in CricketOverthrows are extra runs scored when a fielder's throw misses its target and the batters keep running. The ball stays in play until it is dead, so the batters can add more runs. If a throw at the stumps crosses the boundary, the side gets the boundary allowance plus runs already completed.
- Byes and Leg ByesByes are runs the batters take when the ball misses both the bat and the batter's body, usually because it also beats the keeper. Leg byes are runs taken after the ball hits the batter's body but not the bat. The umpire allows leg byes only if the batter tried to play the ball with the bat or tried to get out of its way. Both are extras: they count for the team but not for the batter, and they are not charged to the bowler.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.