Rules & Protocols
Official Match Officiating Guidelines
T20 Match Regulations
Matches consist of 20 overs per side. Bowlers are limited to a maximum of 4 overs per match. Powerplay restriction applies to the first 6 overs where only two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle.
Umpire Protocol: Monitor over counts and signal Powerplay boundaries.
One Day / 40-Over Regulations
Limited-overs matches ranging from 40 to 50 overs. Bowlers are capped at 1/5th of the total overs. Powerplay restrictions divide fielding setups into three blocks: Mandatory, Middle, and Death overs.
Umpire Protocol: Manage ball replacements (usually new ball at each end) and field restrictions.
Leg Before Wicket (LBW)
Dismissal condition where the ball makes contact with the batter's leg/body before hitting the bat. Only ruled OUT if: the ball did not pitch outside leg stump, impact was in-line (or no stroke was offered), and the ball is tracked to hit the stumps.
Umpire Protocol: Raise index finger vertically above head when appealed and valid.
Wide Ball
Called if the delivery passes too far from the batter to make a normal cricket stroke. In limited-overs (T20/ODI), any delivery passing down the leg side (behind the batter's legs) is automatically signaled wide.
Umpire Protocol: Extend both arms horizontally parallel to the ground.
No Ball Crease Infraction
Called if the bowler's front foot lands completely past the popping crease without any part of the shoe resting behind it. In limited-overs, a front-foot no-ball awards a Free Hit delivery to the batting side.
Umpire Protocol: Extend one arm horizontally to the side. Call 'No ball' loudly.
Waist-Height Full Toss (Beamer)
Any delivery that passes the batter at or above waist height on the full without pitching. It is automatically deemed dangerous and illegal, yielding a No Ball. Repeated offenses require the bowler's suspension.
Umpire Protocol: Signal No Ball and issue a formal first warning to the bowler.