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How does a boundary score four runs in cricket?

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In the sport of cricket, a boundary score of four runs is awarded when a ball—whether resulting from a hit by the batsman or from specific extras—reaches or crosses the boundary of the field after touching the ground.12

Once the ball reaches the boundary in this manner, the batsmen stop running, and four runs are automatically credited to the score. This differs from a six-run score, which is awarded if the batsman hits the ball over the boundary on the fly, without it touching the ground first.12