In cricket, "WD" stands for Wide. A wide is a type of extra run awarded to the batting team when a ball bowled by the bowler is judged by the umpire to be too far away from the batter for them to reasonably hit with a normal cricket shot. This is considered an illegal delivery.
Understanding Wides
Here's a breakdown of what constitutes a wide and its implications:
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Definition: A wide is called when the ball passes so far from where the batter is standing (or would be standing, considering a normal stance) that they cannot hit it with a reasonable cricket shot.
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Awarding of Runs: When a wide is bowled, one run is immediately added to the batting team's score as an "extra."
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No-Ball vs. Wide: It's important to distinguish a wide from a no-ball. A no-ball is typically for illegalities related to the bowler's foot placement or the number of bounces of the ball before reaching the batter. A wide relates solely to the ball's distance from the batter.
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Impact on Over: A wide is not counted as a legitimate delivery toward the completion of an over. The bowler must bowl another legal delivery to complete the over.
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Wicket-keeper's Role: If the wicket-keeper manages to collect the ball from a wide and prevents further runs, only one run is still added to the batting team's total. The batter cannot be dismissed off a wide except in specific circumstances (hit wicket if running, obstructing the field, or handled the ball before 2022).
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Strategic Significance: Bowlers try to avoid bowling wides, as they give away runs without the possibility of taking a wicket and also prolong the innings. Controlling line and length to avoid wides is a key aspect of good bowling.
Examples
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A bowler bowls a ball far down the leg side, and the batter makes no attempt to play a shot. The umpire will likely call a wide.
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A bowler bowls a ball that bounces well outside the off-stump, and the batter has to stretch significantly to even reach it. This will likely be called a wide.
In summary, a wide is an extra run awarded to the batting team due to a delivery being too far from the batter to be reasonably hit, effectively penalizing the bowler for poor accuracy.
