How many ways can a batter be out in cricket?
B · Beginner · How does a batter get out? · 6 of 14There are ten ways a batter can be out: bowled, caught, leg before wicket (LBW), run out, stumped, hit wicket, hit the ball twice, obstructing the field, timed out and retired out. The first six are the ones seen in most matches. In every case except retired out, the fielding side must appeal first.
How it works
| Way of getting out | Does the bowler get the wicket? | Possible off a no-ball or a free hit? | Possible off a wide? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowled | Yes | No | No |
| Caught | Yes | No | No |
| LBW | Yes | No | No |
| Stumped | Yes | No | Yes |
| Hit wicket | Yes | No | Yes |
| Run out | No | Yes | Yes |
| Hit the ball twice | No | Yes | No |
| Obstructing the field | No | Yes | Yes |
| Timed out | No | Not linked to a ball | Not linked to a ball |
| Retired out | No | Not linked to a ball | Not linked to a ball |
- Ten batters out (or unable to bat) ends the innings: a side has 11 players and two must be at the crease.
- When two ways of getting out happen on the same ball, bowled takes precedence over all the others, and stumped over run out.
Tricky cases
Is "handled the ball" still a way of getting out?
No, not as a separate dismissal. Since the 2017 Laws, a batter who deliberately hits the ball with a hand not holding the bat is out obstructing the field.
Is "mankading" a separate way of getting out?
No. Running out the non-striker before the ball is bowled is a run out, and it is within the Laws.
Does retired hurt count as a wicket?
No. A batter who retires injured or ill is "retired not out" and may come back. Only a batter who retires for any other reason is "retired out".
Why the rule exists
Each way of getting out closes a route to batting forever: blocking with the body (LBW), hitting the ball in the air (caught), running too greedily (run out), wandering out of the crease (stumped).
Where it differs
The list of ways is the same in every format. The details of timed out and retired out differ: see those rules.
From the rule book
MCC Laws of Cricket, Laws 32 to 40 (the dismissals), 25.4 (retiring), 13.3 (completed innings), 21.17 and 22.9 (outs off a no-ball and a wide), 4th Edition, in force from 1 October 2026. ICC playing conditions, clause 21.18 (free hit), October 2026. Checked 13 October 2026. Official document: MCC Laws of Cricket (PDF).