Cricket Umpire Hand Signals & Meanings Explained (2026)

Why Umpire Signals Matter

Cricket umpires communicate every decision to players, scorers, and spectators through standardised hand signals. These signals are defined in the Laws of Cricket (maintained by the MCC — Marylebone Cricket Club) and are universal across all formats — Test, ODI, T20, and domestic cricket.

Whether you're watching IPL 2026, playing gully cricket, or preparing for an umpiring career, knowing these signals is essential.

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Dismissal Signals

1. Out (Batsman Dismissed)

Signal: Umpire raises one finger (index finger) above their head When used: Whenever a batsman is given out — bowled, caught, LBW, run out, stumped, hit wicket, or any other dismissal Note: The finger stays raised until the scorers acknowledge it

2. Not Out

Signal: Umpire shakes their head or simply doesn't raise the finger When used: When an appeal is made and the umpire decides the batsman is not out Note: There's no formal "not out" signal — it's the absence of the "out" signal. Some umpires verbally say "not out."

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Scoring Signals

3. Four Runs (Boundary)

Signal: Umpire waves one arm from side to side at waist height, palm facing down When used: When the ball reaches the boundary rope after bouncing at least once Note: The arm movement is a sweeping horizontal wave, not up and down

4. Six Runs (Over the Boundary)

Signal: Umpire raises both arms straight above their head When used: When the ball clears the boundary rope without bouncing — a six Note: This is one of the most recognisable signals in cricket

5. Bye

Signal: Umpire raises one open hand above their head, palm facing the scorers When used: When runs are scored without the bat or any part of the batsman's body touching the ball Note: Byes are extras — they're added to the team total but not the batsman's score

6. Leg Bye

Signal: Umpire raises one knee and taps it with one hand When used: When the ball hits the batsman's body (pad, thigh, etc.) and runs are taken — provided the batsman was attempting a shot or trying to avoid the ball Note: If no genuine attempt to play, the umpire signals dead ball and no runs are scored

7. One Short

Signal: Umpire taps one shoulder with the opposite hand When used: When a batsman fails to ground their bat or body behind the popping crease while running. One run is deducted from the runs attempted. Note: If the batsmen ran 3 but one was short, only 2 runs are scored

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Extras Signals

8. Wide Ball

Signal: Umpire extends both arms horizontally, pointing to either side When used: When the ball passes wide of the batsman and the batsman can't reach it with a normal cricket shot Note: In T20/ODI cricket, the wide ball rules are stricter than in Tests. A wide counts as 1 extra run plus any additional runs scored.

9. No Ball

Signal: Umpire extends one arm horizontally to the side at shoulder height When used: When the bowler oversteps the crease, bowls a full toss above waist height, or commits any other no ball violation Note: In T20/IPL, a no ball results in a free hit for the next delivery

10. Dead Ball

Signal: Umpire crosses and uncrosses both arms below their waist When used: When the ball becomes dead before the batting side could gain advantage — e.g., ball hits a helmet on the ground, umpire calls for a new ball, or a bowler's delivery stride is dangerous Note: No runs can be scored off a dead ball

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Penalty and Special Signals

11. Penalty Runs (5 Runs)

Signal: Umpire places one hand on the opposite shoulder repeatedly When used: When 5 penalty runs are awarded — e.g., ball hitting a helmet left on the field, deliberate fielding with a cap/hat, or time-wasting Which shoulder matters:

• Tapping the same shoulder as the batting side = 5 runs to the batting team
• Tapping the opposite shoulder = 5 runs to the fielding team

12. New Ball

Signal: Umpire holds the ball above their head When used: When the fielding team takes the new ball (available after 80 overs in Tests, 34 overs in ODIs) Note: Not applicable in T20 cricket

13. Revoke Last Signal

Signal: Umpire crosses both arms across the chest in an "X" shape When used: When the umpire needs to cancel or change their previous signal Note: This is rare but important — it tells the scorers to disregard the last signal

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DRS and Technology Signals

14. Player Review (DRS Request)

Signal: Batsman or captain makes a "T" shape with both hands (forming a T) When used: When a team wants to use the Decision Review System (DRS) to challenge the on-field umpire's decision Note: Teams get a limited number of reviews per innings (usually 2 in Tests, 1 in T20s)

15. TV Umpire / Third Umpire Referral

Signal: Umpire draws a large rectangle/TV shape in the air with both hands When used: When the on-field umpire refers a decision to the third umpire for review — typically for run outs, stumpings, boundary catches, and close calls Note: The third umpire watches replays and communicates the decision back

16. Soft Signal — Out

Signal: Umpire raises the finger (out signal) before referring to TV umpire When used: When referring a catch to the third umpire and the on-field umpire believes it was out. The third umpire needs "conclusive evidence" to overturn a soft signal.

17. Soft Signal — Not Out

Signal: Umpire shakes head or signals not out before referring to TV umpire When used: When referring a catch and the on-field umpire believes it was not out. Again, conclusive evidence needed to overturn.

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Free Hit Signal

18. Free Hit

Signal: Umpire circles one arm above their head in a windmill motion When used: After a front-foot no ball in limited-overs cricket (ODI and T20). The next delivery is a free hit — the batsman can only be dismissed by run out, hit wicket, or obstructing the field. Note: This signal was introduced with the free hit rule and is one of the most exciting moments in T20 cricket

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Powerplay Signal

19. Powerplay

Signal: Umpire makes a circular motion with one hand (rotating the wrist) When used: At the start of each powerplay phase in limited-overs cricket to indicate fielding restrictions are in effect Note: In T20, there's only one mandatory powerplay (overs 1–6). In ODIs, there are powerplay phases where only 2–4 fielders can be outside the 30-yard circle.

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Complete Signal Reference Table

Signal	How It Looks	Meaning
Out	One finger raised	Batsman dismissed
Four	Arm waved side to side	Boundary (4 runs)
Six	Both arms raised high	Over the boundary (6 runs)
Wide	Both arms stretched wide	Wide delivery (1 extra)
No Ball	One arm horizontal	Illegal delivery (1 extra + free hit in T20)
Bye	One open hand raised	Runs without bat contact
Leg Bye	Hand taps raised knee	Runs off batsman's body
Dead Ball	Arms crossed at waist	Ball is dead, no runs
Free Hit	Arm circled overhead	Batsman can't be bowled/caught
One Short	Hand taps shoulder	Run doesn't count
Penalty Runs	Hand on opposite shoulder	5 penalty runs awarded
New Ball	Ball held above head	New ball taken
TV Referral	Rectangle drawn in air	Decision sent to third umpire
DRS Review	"T" shape by player	Team challenges decision
Revoke	Arms crossed in "X"	Cancel previous signal

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Signals Specific to Different Formats

Test Cricket Only

• New ball signal — only Tests and multi-day cricket use the new ball rule
• Drinks interval — umpire signals for drinks by raising both hands

T20/IPL Only

• Free hit — only in limited-overs after a no ball
• Strategic timeout — umpire signals to ground staff (IPL specific)
• Impact player — fourth umpire signals to on-field umpire

All Formats

All other signals are universal across Tests, ODIs, T20Is, and domestic cricket.

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Tips for Aspiring Umpires

If you're interested in becoming a cricket umpire:

1. Practice signals in a mirror — they need to be clear and visible from 70+ metres
2. Hold each signal for 3–5 seconds — scorers need time to record
3. Face the scorers' box — not the players or the crowd
4. Be decisive — a hesitant signal confuses everyone
5. Learn the scorer's acknowledgement — wait for the scorer to repeat the signal back before resuming play

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Frequently Asked Questions

What signal does the umpire give for a wide ball?

The umpire stretches both arms horizontally to either side, like a "T-pose." This indicates the delivery was too wide for the batsman to reach with a normal cricket shot. One extra run is added, and the ball must be re-bowled. Read our complete wide ball rules guide →

How does the umpire signal a no ball?

The umpire extends one arm horizontally to the side at shoulder height. In T20 and ODI cricket, the no ball is immediately followed by a free hit signal — the umpire circles their arm above their head.

What is the umpire signal for DRS?

The player makes a "T" shape with their hands to request a DRS review. The umpire then draws a rectangle in the air to indicate the decision is being referred to the third umpire. After the review, the third umpire communicates the decision, and the on-field umpire gives the final signal (out or not out).

How many different umpire signals are there in cricket?

There are approximately 20 official umpire hand signals defined in the Laws of Cricket. These cover dismissals, runs, extras, penalties, reviews, and special situations. Additional signals have been added over the years as new rules (like free hit and DRS) were introduced.

Why does the umpire signal to the scorers?

The scorers sit in the scorers' box (usually in the pavilion) and need visual confirmation of every decision to maintain the official scorecard. The umpire holds each signal until the scorer acknowledges it with a return signal. This system ensures accurate scorecards across all formats.