LBW in Cricket — The Law, How It Works, and How to Appeal
A plain-English guide to Leg Before Wicket (LBW): the five conditions for dismissal, the umpire's decision process, impact, line, and DRS review.
What Is LBW?
Leg Before Wicket (LBW) is a mode of dismissal in which the batter is given out when the ball strikes the batter's body — typically the pad — in a position where the umpire judges the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps. It is one of the most contested decisions in cricket because it requires the umpire (or DRS) to predict where the ball would have travelled had the batter not been in the way.
The Five LBW Conditions
All five conditions must be satisfied for an LBW dismissal: (1) The ball must not have hit the bat or glove before striking the pad. (2) The ball must pitch in line with the stumps or on the off side (never on the leg side). (3) The point of impact must be in line with the stumps. (4) The ball must be going on to hit the stumps. (5) If the batter plays a shot, the umpire must be convinced there was no edge — if the batter plays no shot (pad only), the edge condition is relaxed.
The Umpire's Assessment
The umpire must make a real-time decision on pitch, impact, and trajectory — all in a fraction of a second. The presumption is 'not out': if there is genuine doubt at any stage of the five conditions, the umpire gives the batter the benefit. This is why LBW decisions split opinion; different umpires weight the criteria differently, particularly on tight line calls or balls that swing late.
LBW and DRS
Ball-tracking technology (Hawk-Eye or equivalent) replays the predicted trajectory in DRS reviews. The system shows whether the ball pitched in line, the impact point, and whether the predicted path hits the stumps. A DRS LBW check is reversed only if the ball is shown to miss the stumps entirely (below the height of the bails) or to have pitched or impacted outside the relevant zones.
What Is Umpire's Call?
When the predicted impact or line is marginal (partially hitting the stumps or partially outside the off stump), the system returns 'Umpire's Call' — meaning the original decision stands, whether out or not out. Umpire's Call is controversial; critics argue it perpetuates inconsistency, while defenders say it appropriately acknowledges the limits of ball-tracking precision.
Frequently asked questions
Can you be LBW if the ball hits you outside the off stump?
Not if you play a shot. If you play a shot and the ball hits you outside off stump, the umpire cannot give LBW. However, if you do NOT play a shot (pad only), you can be given LBW even if the impact is outside off stump, as long as the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps.
What happens if the ball pitches outside leg stump?
LBW cannot be given. The law explicitly protects batters from dismissal when the ball pitches on the leg side of the stumps — regardless of where the ball goes afterwards.
How many LBW reviews can a team have in one innings?
In international cricket, each team begins with two unsuccessful DRS reviews per innings. A successful review (the decision is overturned) does not cost the team a review. Reviews are replenished at specified intervals in Tests (every 80 overs).