Hit Wicket in Cricket

The batter is out when they dislodge the bails with their bat, body, or clothing.

What is a Hit Wicket?

If a batter, in the act of playing a shot or setting off for a run after playing a shot, disturbs the bails with any part of their body, equipment, or clothing, they are out hit wicket. Rare but spectacular when it happens. Usually occurs when a batter steps back too far against a bouncer, or follows through too aggressively on a drive. The bat or helmet visor clipping the bails is the most common cause.

In play

Batter plays an ambitious pull shot, stepping back and across. Back foot clips the stumps. One bail falls. Hit wicket — bowled zero, but out for hit wicket. The batter stares at the broken stumps in disbelief.

More laws terms

• Obstructing the FieldThe batter is out for deliberately blocking, distracting, or interfering with a fielder.
• Timed OutA batter is out if they take more than 3 minutes to arrive at the crease after a wicket falls.
• DLS MethodDuckworth-Lewis-Stern — the formula used to set a fair revised target when rain interrupts a limited-overs match.
• Net Run RateThe tiebreaker stat — runs scored per over minus runs conceded per over, across a whole tournament.
• TossThe coin flip before a match that decides who chooses to bat or field first.
• ConcedeRuns given away by the bowler or fielding side, or a wicket/lead given up.