When is a batter out leg before wicket?
B · Beginner · How does a batter get out? · 9 of 14How it works
All five of these must be true for an LBW:
- The ball is not a no-ball.
- The ball did not pitch outside the batter's leg stump. Pitching in line with the stumps, or outside off stump, is fine.
- The ball hit the batter's body or pads before touching the bat.
- Where it hit the batter was in line with the stumps. Outside off stump also counts, but only if the batter was not trying to play the ball with the bat.
- The ball would have gone on to hit the stumps.
Only the ball's first contact counts. The fielding side must appeal ("How's that?"), or the umpire cannot give it.
Tricky cases
Is it out if the ball hits bat and pad at the same time?
Not out. Bat and pad together counts as bat first, so it cannot be LBW.
Is it out if the ball hits the pad first, then the bat?
Yes, it can be. Only the first contact counts, and that was the pad.
Can a batter be out LBW if the ball hits them above the knee roll?
Yes. Height alone does not save the batter. The umpire decides whether the ball would have hit the stumps, at whatever height it struck.
Can a batter be out LBW if the ball hits them on the full?
Yes. The umpire assumes the ball would have carried on along the same path.
Is it out if the ball pitched outside leg stump but would have hit the stumps?
Not out. Pitching outside leg stump always saves the batter.
Can a batter be out LBW without playing a shot?
Yes. If the ball hits them outside off stump and they made no attempt to play it with the bat, they can still be out. This stops batters padding the ball away.
Why is it not out when ball-tracking shows the ball hitting the stumps?
It depends on how much of the ball is hitting. If only part of the ball is in line, or it is only clipping the stumps, the umpire's original decision stands. This is umpire's call, and a review that ends on it is not lost.
Can a batter be out LBW off a no-ball?
No. A no-ball can never give an LBW.
Why the rule exists
Without it, a batter could stand in front of the stumps and block every ball with their pads, and could never be bowled. The rule makes the bat, not the body, the batter's defence.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| All cricket | The LBW rule itself is the same in every format | L36 |
| International matches with the DRS | A team can ask for a review. Ball-tracking overturns only clear cases; close ones are umpire's call and the review is kept | PC-O App D 3.4.5, 3.4.6, 3.6.4 (also in PC-T, PC-I) |
| International matches with the DRS | If the ball hit the batter 3 metres or more from the stumps, a not-out decision stands even when the tracking shows it hitting | PC-O App D 3.4.6.4 |
From the rule book
MCC Laws of Cricket, Laws 36.1 to 36.3 and 31.1, 4th Edition, in force from 1 October 2026. For reviews: ICC men's playing conditions, Appendix D, October 2026. Checked 13 October 2026. Official documents: MCC Laws of Cricket (PDF); ICC playing conditions (PDF).