Fairplay explains the fair play rule: stumping is possible from a Wide, not a No ball, plus the extra and run-out consequences.
Short answer: a Wide can produce Stumped; a No ball cannot
A striker can be Stumped from a Wide, not a No ball. Law 39 permits Stumped only when the ball has not been called No ball. Law 22 lists Stumped as a possible dismissal from a Wide.
For Stumped, the striker must be out of their ground, must not have attempted a run, and the wicket-keeper must fairly break the wicket without another fielder intervening. These conditions matter as much as the call on the delivery. A batter who sets off for a run is not out Stumped on that event; the question instead becomes whether the conditions for Run out are met.
A No ball follows a different route. Law 21.17 excludes Stumped from the dismissals available after a No ball, while leaving Run out available. The MCC Laws also say that a No-ball call overrides a Wide call. So one delivery is not scored as both a No ball and a Wide for this purpose.
- Wide, striker outside the ground, no run attempt, wicket broken by the wicket-keeper alone: Stumped can apply.
- No ball: Stumped cannot apply, even if the wicket-keeper breaks the wicket.
- No ball plus a genuine attempt to run: assess Run out instead, using Law 38.
The test that separates Stumped from Run out
It is tempting to call every wicket-keeper dismissal of an out-of-ground striker a stumping. The Laws do not do that. Law 39.1.1 makes the absence of a run attempt part of Stumped. It also requires the wicket-keeper to break the wicket without intervention by another fielder. If all of Law 39.1.1 is satisfied, Law 39.1.2 says the striker is out Stumped even though a Run out decision would also be justifiable.
Law 38 has a wider basic test: while the ball is in play, a batter out of their ground may be Run out when the wicket is fairly broken, including when No ball has been called, whether or not a run is being attempted. But the Law then gives the striker a specific no-ball protection. Under Law 38.2.2.2, the striker is not out Run out if a No ball has been called, the striker is not attempting a run, and the wicket-keeper alone breaks the wicket.
On a No ball, a striker merely outside the crease is not converted into a Run out just because Stumped is unavailable. If the striker actually attempts a run and is short when the wicket is fairly broken, Law 38.2.2.2’s specific protection does not apply and Run out may be possible. Injury avoidance has separate protections, so do not infer it from a scorecard.
A stumping from a Wide: decision path and the extra that remains
First establish that the delivery is a Wide. Law 22.1 sets the umpire’s reach judgement and Law 22.2 the call timing. Calling Wide does not make the ball dead, and Law 22.9 keeps Stumped and Run out available.
Hypothetical example — not a real match: a ball passes well beyond the striker’s reach and is called Wide. The striker has stepped out of the ground but does not try to run. The wicket-keeper gathers the ball and fairly breaks the wicket without another fielder’s intervention. Subject to the full Law 39 facts, the outcome can be Stumped. The delivery is also a Wide and therefore does not count as one of the over under Law 22.8.
The score consequence is unusually easy to miss: Law 39.4 says that when a striker is dismissed Stumped from a Wide, the one-run Wide penalty shall stand. Law 22.6 likewise says the one-run Wide penalty stands unless the call is revoked, even if a batter is dismissed. On a scorecard, do not cancel that Wide merely because the wicket is recorded.
There is one match-ending boundary in Law 39.4. If the Wide penalty itself concludes the match, a stumping is not possible, although the one-run Wide penalty remains. That is a reason to use the official scorecard and result for a real match rather than reconstructing the finish from a short clip.
| Fact | Result |
|---|---|
| No run attempt; wicket-keeper alone fairly breaks wicket | Law 39 Stumped may apply |
| Striker attempts a run | Assess Run out under Law 38, not Stumped |
| Wide penalty ends the match | No stumping; the one-run Wide penalty remains |
A No ball: no Stumped, but sometimes Run out
A No ball is not dead merely because it has been called. Law 21.13 keeps the ball in play, and Law 21.17 lists the limited dismissals still available: Hit the ball twice, Obstructing the field and Run out. Stumped is absent from that list. The on-field label should therefore not be changed to Stumped just because the wicket-keeper completed the put-down cleanly.
Hypothetical example — not a real match: a delivery is called No ball. The striker has overbalanced beyond the popping crease after playing at the ball but makes no attempt to run. The wicket-keeper, with no intervention by another fielder, fairly breaks the striker’s wicket. The striker is not Stumped because Law 39 requires a ball that is not called No ball. The striker is also protected from Run out by Law 38.2.2.2 on these specified facts.
If the striker attempts a run after the No ball and is short when the wicket is fairly broken, Law 38.1 can make Run out possible. A ‘no-ball dismissal’ therefore requires a category check; it does not make every apparent wicket valid or invalid.
The No-ball scoring consequence also survives. Law 21.14 awards one No-ball penalty run instantly and says it stands unless revoked even if a batter is dismissed. Law 21.15 records that penalty as a No-ball extra; runs struck from the bat are credited to the striker, while other runs can be Byes or Leg byes as appropriate. The No ball does not count in the over under Law 21.16.
How to read the scorecard without mislabelling the wicket
Start with the delivery call and final dismissal label. An extras line can confirm that a Wide or No ball was recorded, but usually cannot show whether the striker attempted a run or whether another fielder intervened. Verify those facts from an official scorecard, match report or video record. Fairplay’s How to Read a Cricket Scorecard explains why extras sit separately from batters’ credited runs and why a run out is a team wicket rather than a bowler wicket.
For a real incident, record the delivery call, whether a run was attempted, who fairly broke the wicket, the final dismissal label, the extra and the competition format. If a fact is not established, mark it unknown. Fairplay live scores, cricket analysis, upcoming fixtures and cricket statistics provide match context but do not replace the governing Law or official record.
| Situation | Record |
|---|---|
| Stumped from a Wide | Stumped; Law 39.4 preserves the one-run Wide penalty |
| No ball; no run attempt; wicket-keeper alone breaks wicket | Neither Stumped nor Run out on the stated Law 38.2.2.2 facts; No-ball penalty stands unless revoked |
| No ball; striker attempts a run and is short | Assess Run out; No-ball penalty stands unless revoked |
Use the current Law, then check the competition conditions
This guide answers the Laws question from MCC’s current official materials, including its page for the Laws of Cricket 2017 Code 4th Edition 2026. MCC says it is custodian of the Laws and also warns that playing regulations can create differences. For a named match, check its current competition conditions as well. Fairplay’s Cricket Laws vs Playing Conditions document check gives that source-first workflow.
The independent community answer inspected for this guide reaches the broad no-ball conclusion, but it links to an old Law 24 reference and does not address Wide stumping, Law 38.2.2.2’s no-run-attempt protection or the preserved Wide penalty. This guide therefore follows the current MCC clauses.
A quick decision path for a disputed wicket
Start with the delivery call, not the word ‘stumping’. If it is a No ball, Stumped is unavailable; test the specific Run out conditions, including whether the striker attempted a run. If it is a Wide, the ball remains in play and Stumped or Run out may be available, depending on the facts.
Then check whether the striker was out of their ground, whether a run was attempted and how the wicket was fairly broken. Record the surviving extra before the next legal ball: both a Wide and a No ball add an instant one-run penalty and neither counts in the over. These examples are educational; a real match depends on the facts and applicable conditions.
- No ball: Stumped is unavailable.
- Wide: Stumped may be available if Law 39’s conditions are met.
- A run attempt can move the question to Run out.
- Do not erase the Wide or No-ball penalty because a wicket falls.
Questions, answered
Can a batter be stumped off a Wide in cricket?
Yes. MCC Law 22.9 permits Stumped after a Wide, and Law 39 applies if its conditions are met: the striker is out of the ground, has not attempted a run, and the wicket-keeper fairly breaks the wicket without another fielder’s intervention. Law 39.4 says the one-run Wide penalty stands.
Can a batter be stumped off a No ball?
No. Law 39 requires a ball that has not been called No ball, and Law 21.17 does not list Stumped among the dismissals available after a No ball. The ball may still be in play, so a different dismissal category may need checking.
Why can a batter be run out from a No ball but not stumped?
Law 21.17 leaves Run out available after a No ball but excludes Stumped. For the striker, Law 38.2.2.2 protects the specific case where there is no run attempt and the wicket-keeper alone breaks the wicket. If the striker attempts a run, assess Run out under Law 38 instead.
Does the Wide run still count if the batter is stumped?
Yes. MCC Law 39.4 says the one-run Wide penalty stands when a striker is dismissed Stumped from a Wide. If that Wide penalty itself concludes the match, the Law says a stumping is not possible, but the one-run penalty remains.
Does a No ball automatically mean a free hit?
No. The MCC Laws answer the no-ball dismissal and scoring question. Whether a free hit follows is a competition-specific procedure, so check the current playing conditions for the event rather than assuming every format uses the same rule.
Sources and evidence
- Marylebone Cricket Club — Law 39: Stumped
Primary MCC Law page retrieved 17 October 2026 (IST). Supports the no-No-ball, no-run-attempt and wicket-keeper conditions, the relationship to Run out, and the Wide one-run penalty that stands after a stumping.
- Marylebone Cricket Club — Law 22: Wide ball
Primary MCC Law page retrieved 17 October 2026 (IST). Supports Wide call timing, ball remaining live, penalty scoring, over validity and dismissals available from a Wide.
- Marylebone Cricket Club — Law 21: No ball
Primary MCC Law page retrieved 17 October 2026 (IST). Supports No ball overriding Wide, ball remaining live, penalty scoring, over validity and the limited dismissal list.
- Marylebone Cricket Club — Law 38: Run out
Primary MCC Law page retrieved 17 October 2026 (IST). Supports the general Run out test and the Law 38.2.2.2 no-ball, no-run-attempt wicket-keeper exception for the striker.
- Marylebone Cricket Club — The Laws of Cricket
Official MCC overview retrieved 17 October 2026 (IST). Identifies MCC as custodian, links the 2017 Code 4th Edition 2026 and notes that playing regulations can create differences.
- Sports Stack Exchange — Can a batsman be stumped from a no ball?
Independent community comparator retrieved 17 October 2026 (IST). The 2015 question/answers reach the broad no-ball conclusion but cite an old Law 24 reference and do not cover Wide stumping, the current no-run-attempt interaction or the surviving Wide penalty; used for comparator analysis, not as the rule authority.
Scheduled facts and sourced history are separate from live match data. Source attribution does not imply affiliation with IPL, BCCI, ICC or players.