Former Pakistan women’s team captain and commentator Sana Mir has released an instructional video explaining the updated wide ball regulation, aiming to resolve widespread confusion among cricket fans regarding leg-side and off-side officiating.
The updated rule—implemented by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) to ensure a fair balance between bat and ball—provides relief to bowlers when batters shift their guard before or during a bowler’s delivery stride. Under the standardized protocol, umpires evaluate wide deliveries based on the batter’s initial stance and movement.
To assist match officials on the field, the protected area lines have been visually extended toward the popping crease. If a delivery passes between the leg stump and the protected area line as the batter moves toward the off side, it will not be called a wide, provided the ball passes through the designated strike zone. However, any delivery pitching outside the established boundaries behind the batter’s legs remains subject to being penalized as a wide.
