Cricket rules, for watching
Start with how a match works. Then the rules you see every few minutes, then the ones that change results.
Checked 13 October 2026
Settling an argument? Search all 58 rules
- How many ways can a batter be out in cricket?
- When is a batter out bowled?
- When is a batter out caught?
- When is a batter out leg before wicket?
- When is a batter run out?
- When is a batter out stumped?
- When is a batter out hit wicket?
- When is a batter out for hitting the ball twice?
- When is a batter out obstructing the field?
- How long does a new batter have to get to the crease?
- Can a batter retire, and can they come back?
- Does the fielding side have to appeal for a batter to be out?
- How is a run scored in cricket?
- When is it a six, and when is it a four?
- What are byes and leg byes?
- When do umpires award 5 penalty runs?
- When is the ball dead in cricket?
- After a run, a catch or the end of an over, which batter faces?
- What is a no-ball, and what happens after one?
- When is a ball called wide?
- What is a free hit, and can a batter be out on one?
- How many balls are in an over, and who can bowl the next one?
- How many overs can one bowler bowl?
- What is a legal bowling action, and what is chucking?
- How many bouncers can a bowler bowl in an over?
- Is a full toss above the waist a no-ball?
- How many fielders can stand outside the circle?
- What can and can't the wicketkeeper do?
- What are fielders not allowed to do?
- Can a substitute field, bowl or keep wicket?
- What is the difference between Test, ODI and T20 cricket?
- When is the toss, and what does the winner choose?
- Can a captain end their side's innings early?
- What is the follow-on in Test cricket?
- How is a cricket match won, tied, drawn or left with no result?
- How does a super over work?
- How are targets set when rain cuts an ODI or T20?
- What happens on a reserve day?
- How do points and net run rate work in a tournament?
- How many overs are bowled in a day of Test cricket?
- What is the stop clock, and what is the penalty for slow over rates?
- Who decides when play stops for rain or bad light?
- How many players are in a cricket team?
- Can a concussed player be replaced in cricket?
- What happens when a player is injured during play?
- How long is a cricket pitch, and what do the lines mean?
- How big are the stumps, and what are bails for?
- How heavy is a cricket ball, and when is a new one used?
- What are the rules on the size of a cricket bat?
- How big must a cricket ground be?
- What do the umpires' signals mean?
- How does the Decision Review System work?
- What does the third umpire decide without a review?
- What is ball tampering, and can players use saliva on the ball?
- Is fake fielding allowed in cricket?
- Can players run on the pitch, and what is the danger area?
- What happens if a team wastes time?
- What happens to players who misbehave on the field?
Where these rules come from
| Tag | Document |
|---|---|
| L plus clause | MCC Laws of Cricket, 2017 Code, 4th Edition, in force from 1 October 2026 |
| PC-T | ICC men's Test Match Playing Conditions, October 2026 |
| PC-O | ICC men's One-Day International Playing Conditions, October 2026 |
| PC-I | ICC men's Twenty20 International Playing Conditions, October 2026 |
| App D, App E and so on | An appendix of the ICC playing conditions (D: reviews and the third umpire; E: calculations, including rain rules; F: super over; G: reserve day; I: injuries) |
| R | "Why the rule exists": reasoned from the rule itself, not quoted from the lawmaker |
| C | Common usage or general knowledge, not a rule |
All checked on 13 October 2026. The women's ICC playing conditions are saved and not yet read. League rules (the IPL and others) are not covered; where a league is known to differ, the page says "set by the competition".