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In the sport of cricket, a dead ball is a particular state of play in which the players may not perform any of the active aspects of the game. In other words, batsmen may not score runs and fielders may not attempt to get batsmen out.

The ball, referring to the cricket ball, becomes live when the bowler begins his run up in preparation to bowling at the batsman. In the live state, play occurs with the batsmen able to score runs and get out.

The ball then becomes dead when any of the following situations occur:

• The ball passes the batsman, is gathered by the wicket-keeper, and the batsmen obviously decline to attempt to take runs.
• The ball is finally settled in the hands of the wicket-keeper or the bowler (and the batsmen obviously decline to attempt to take any more runs)
• The ball reaches the boundary and four runs or six runs are scored.
• Either batsman is out.
• The ball lodges in the clothing or equipment of a batsman or umpire.
• The ball lodges in a protective helmet worn by a fielder.
• The ball hits the roof of a closed stadium†
• An umpire awards penalty runs.
• Whenever it is obvious to the umpire that both the fielding team and the batsmen consider the ball to no longer be in play.

†On Oct 9, 2005, an Australian batsman hit the roof an indoor stadium. What would have been six in an open stadium was immediately ruled a dead ball.

Note that the ball becomes dead as soon as a batsman is out, so it is not possible to immediately dismiss the other batsman. Thus the baseball concept of a double play cannot occur in cricket.

If necessary to make it clear to the players that the umpire considers the ball to be dead, the umpire signals dead ball by crossing and uncrossing his arms in front of his body.

Dead ball is also signalled if the batsmen complete an attempt to run leg byes when in the umpire's opinion the batsman made no attempt to either hit the ball with his bat or evade it. This nullifies the leg byes.

• Cricket terminology

• The Laws of Cricket - Law 23 (Dead Ball)