Bowled

Bowled is a method of dismissal in cricket. It occurs when the ball delivered by the bowler hits the stumps and dislodges the bails, resulting in the batsman being out.

The ball may strike the stumps directly or after touching the batsman’s bat, glove, clothing, or any part of the body. If the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps and dislodge the bails, the batsman is ruled bowled. An important exception is the no-ball: on a no-ball, a batsman cannot be dismissed bowled on that delivery, and the ball is considered illegal and must be rebowled with an extra run awarded to the batting side.

The umpire signals bowled by raising the index finger. Bowled dismissals occur in all formats of the game—Tests, One Day Internationals, and Twenty20—and their frequency can reflect pitch conditions, bowling style, and the batsman’s technique.

Historically, bowled has been a common and influential mode of wicket-taking, sometimes indicating skillful line and length or challenging pitch behavior. Some bowlers are particularly known for producing bowled dismissals, while batsmen may adjust techniques to defend against this form of dismissal. Overall, bowled remains a central concept in cricket terminology and strategy, symbolizing the bowler’s success in breaching the batsman’s defense by targeting the stumps.