Every Way a Batter Can Get Out in Cricket, Explained
Published on September 25, 2026
Summary Overview: How many ways can a batter get out in cricket? This beginner's guide explains all 10 dismissals, from bowled and caught to rare ones like timed out and retired out.
How Many Ways Can You Get Out in Cricket? All 10, Simply Put
How many ways are there to get out in cricket?
Under the current Laws of Cricket, there are 10 official ways for a batter to be dismissed.
Which are the most common?
You will see five or six of them all the time: bowled, caught, LBW, run out and stumped. The rest are rare.
What is the rarest?
"Hit the ball twice" is so rare it has never happened in international cricket, while "timed out" and "retired out" pop up only occasionally.
How a Batter Gets Out
Getting a batter out, or taking their "wicket," is the fielding side's main goal. Once 10 of the 11 batters are dismissed, the innings ends. Most fans only ever see a handful of dismissal types, but the Laws of Cricket actually list 10 different ways to get out.
Below we explain all 10, starting with the common ones you will see in almost every match, then moving on to the rare and unusual ones.
The Common Dismissals
These are the everyday ways batters lose their wicket.
1. Bowled
The simplest of all. The bowler delivers the ball, it beats the batter, and it hits the stumps (the three wooden posts) hard enough to knock off the little wooden pieces on top, called the bails. If you are bowled, you are out, no debate.
2. Caught
The most common dismissal in cricket. The batter hits the ball with the bat, and a fielder catches it cleanly before it touches the ground. Whether it is a simple catch or a spectacular diving grab, the result is the same: out.
3. Leg Before Wicket (LBW)
One of the trickier rules for newcomers. If the ball strikes the batter's leg or body (not the bat) and the umpire judges that it would have gone on to hit the stumps, the batter can be given out LBW. It stops batters from simply using their legs to block deliveries aimed at the wickets.
4. Run Out
This happens while the batters are running between the ends. If a fielder gathers the ball and breaks the stumps before a running batter has reached the safe zone (the crease), that batter is run out. It often comes down to inches and a review of the replay.
5. Stumped
A trap set by the wicketkeeper, usually against spin bowling. If the batter steps out of their crease to play a shot, misses the ball, and the wicketkeeper whips off the bails before they can get back, they are stumped. It is a quick, skilful piece of glovework.
6. Hit Wicket
A rare bit of self-inflicted misfortune among the common types. If the batter accidentally knocks off their own bails with their bat, body or equipment while playing a shot or setting off for a run, they are out "hit wicket."
The Rare Dismissals
These four are unusual, and some are almost never seen, but they are all part of the game.
7. Obstructing the Field
If a batter deliberately gets in the way of a fielder trying to make a play, or willfully distracts them, they can be given out for obstructing the field. This law also now covers deliberately using the hand to stop the ball, which used to be a separate dismissal called "handled the ball."
8. Hit the Ball Twice
A batter is allowed to hit the ball a second time only to stop it rolling onto their stumps. If they deliberately hit it twice for any other reason, such as to score runs, they are out. This is so rare that it has never once happened in international cricket.
9. Timed Out
When one batter is dismissed, the next batter must be ready to face the next ball within a set time. If they take too long to get to the crease and be ready, they can be given out "timed out." It made headlines when Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews became the first batter ever timed out in international cricket, at the 2023 World Cup, after a problem with his helmet.
10. Retired Out
Normally a batter who leaves the field injured is "retired hurt" and can come back later. But if a batter chooses to walk off for tactical reasons without permission and does not return, they are "retired out," and their innings is over. It is occasionally used as a tactic, most notably in T20 leagues.
Quick Reference: The 10 Dismissals
| # | Dismissal | Frequency |
| 1 | Bowled | Very common |
| 2 | Caught | Very common |
| 3 | LBW (Leg Before Wicket) | Very common |
| 4 | Run out | Common |
| 5 | Stumped | Common |
| 6 | Hit wicket | Occasional |
| 7 | Obstructing the field | Rare |
| 8 | Hit the ball twice | Extremely rare |
| 9 | Timed out | Very rare |
| 10 | Retired out | Rare |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common way to get out in cricket?
Caught. A fielder taking a clean catch off the bat is the most frequent dismissal.
What happened to "handled the ball"?
It was merged into "obstructing the field" in 2017, so deliberately stopping the ball with the hand now falls under that law.
Has anyone ever been timed out in international cricket?
Yes. Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews was the first, at the 2023 World Cup.
What is the difference between retired hurt and retired out?
Retired hurt is for an injured batter who can return later, while retired out is a voluntary, usually tactical exit with no return.
Can a bowler take credit for every dismissal?
No. Bowled, caught, LBW, stumped, hit wicket and hit the ball twice count towards the bowler. Run out, obstructing the field, timed out and retired out do not.
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