What Is The Full Form Of LBW In Cricket?

LBW full form in cricket is Leg Before Wicket. Imagine, during a match, the ball smashes into the batsman’s body (usually the leg) before it even touches the bat. Now, if it weren’t for the batsman’s body blocking the way, the ball would’ve gone on to hit the wicket. The main reason behind this rule is to stop players from sneakily using their bodies to block the ball instead of using their trusty bats.

What Else Should You Know About LBW?

To declare a batsman out of LBW, there are a bunch of conditions that need to be met. Let’s break them down one by one. First up, the ball has to pitch or bounce on the ground before reaching the batsman. It’s gotta either pitch in line with the wickets or on the off-side (that’s the side of the field the batsman’s body is facing). If the ball pitches outside the leg stump, the batsman can’t be given out LBW. Next, the ball needs to strike the batsman’s body while they’re trying to play a shot or at least attempting to. If the batsman isn’t bothering to play a shot, then the ball must hit them right in line with the wickets. Finally, it’s all about the ball’s what-if trajectory after the impact. The umpire has to put on their detective hat and figure out whether the ball would’ve gone on to hit the wickets if it hadn’t been for the batsman’s body getting in the way.