How Cricket Run-Outs Work Explainer
A batter can be run out when the ball is live, the batter is out of their ground, and the fielding side fairly breaks the relevant wicket. A run does not have to be attempted. The dismissal may apply at either end, subject to specific exceptions in the Laws.
A batter makes good their ground by placing the bat or part of the body on the ground behind the popping crease, provided the batter has not left that ground afterward. A diving bat that is airborne at the decisive instant may therefore fail to provide safety.
The wicket is fairly broken when a bail is completely removed or a stump is struck out in a lawful way. Under the 2026 clarification, a fielder using a hand or arm to break it while holding the ball must have complete control of the ball.
The fielding side normally must appeal before the umpire gives the decision. Video review can compare the instant the wicket is broken with the batter's bat or body crossing the crease. The most useful replay freezes both events on the same frame rather than following the ball alone.
It must be grounded behind the crease, unless the batter has already made ground and remains protected under the applicable Law.
Yes. The key questions are whether the ball is live and whether the batter is out of their ground.
Normally yes; an umpire does not give a batter out without a valid appeal.
Explore more "Explainers"
Discover additional explainers across politics, science, business, technology, and other fields. Each explainer breaks down a complex idea into clear, everyday language—helping you better understand how major concepts, systems, and debates shape the world around us.