What is the maximum legal width of a cricket bat?
Answer
4.25 inches
The maximum legal width of a cricket bat is 4.25 inches.
This limit is set by Law 5 of the Laws of Cricket, which also restricts a bat’s length to 38 inches. The modern bat is generally made from willow with a cane handle, and its flat blade evolved to suit the sport’s bouncing ball and varied strokes.
Width is only one part of the equipment regulations. A bat may have a maximum depth of 2.64 inches and an edge no thicker than 1.56 inches. Since a 2017 law update, umpires have been able to use a bat gauge during a match to check those dimensions.
The common mix-up is confusing width with length: 4.25 inches is the maximum blade width, while 38 inches is the maximum overall length. The bat’s permitted width has also helped preserve a balance between powerful hitting and the bowler’s challenge.