Cricket's version of the NFL challenge flag
When should a team challenge the umpire?
00
New to cricket?
Four ideas, and you can follow everything here.
- A wicket is an out. Each team bats once: 120 balls or 10 outs. Losing a batter hurts, like an out with the bases loaded.
- The umpire calls it. "Out" or "not out", on the spot. The most disputed calls are LBW: the ball hit the leg but would have hit the stumps.
- Either team can challenge. That's DRS, cricket's replay review. Same idea as the NFL red flag or a tennis Hawk-Eye challenge.
- Challenges are limited. Two failed ones per innings. If the replay is too close to call ("umpire's call"), the team keeps its challenge.
Every challenge is a bet: risk a challenge you might need later, to fix a call that might cost you the game. We measure both sides in win chance, like a TV win-probability line.
01
The cheat sheet
A challenge policy to pin in the dressing room: how sure a player needs to be that the umpire is wrong.
02
The Review Room
Pick a real challenge, set how sure you are, then reveal the replay verdict.
03
The price of a challenge
Every over and match situation. Light: be fairly sure first. Dark: challenging is nearly free.
Data table
04
Do teams challenge enough?
Teams win far more challenges than they need to. That means they hold back too often.