GuideOct 27, 20264 min read
What Is a Maiden Over and Why It Matters
A maiden is one of cricket's quiet victories. A bowler can win an over without taking a wicket.
The definition
A maiden over is an over of six legal balls in which the batting side scores no runs off the bat and no wides or no-balls are bowled.
Byes and leg byes
In common scoring, byes and leg byes do not count against the bowler, so they do not break a maiden. Wides and no-balls do.
Why maidens matter
They build pressure. In long formats, a run of maidens often leads to wickets because batters feel they must take a risk.
In T20
Maidens are rare because batters attack. A maiden in T20 is a big achievement and can swing a match.
Economy rate
Maidens lower a bowler's economy rate, which is runs conceded divided by overs bowled.
Quick answers
Can a maiden include a wicket?
Yes. A wicket maiden is an over with a wicket and no runs scored off the bat.
How many maidens can a bowler bowl in a row?
There is no limit, but a long sequence of maidens is unusual.