When Shahid Afridi Admitted to Not Knowing What The Term 'LBW' Meant

image-lmeqq6f2Shahid Afridi is one of the best all-rounders to have played the game

In sports where the unpredictable becomes the norm, few moments have made the cricketing world truly gobsmacked.  Former Pakistani cricketer, Shahid Afridi, with all his experience and achievements, once said he didn't know the term 'Leg Before Wicket' (LBW) which left fans shocked and it’s a moment that many still talk about.


Shahid Afridi left fans stunned with his LBW revelation

The revelation came during an appearance on Faysal Quraishi's show 'Salam Zindagi' on a leading Pakistani TV channel few years ago. Afridi was was faced with the playful challenge of guessing a phrase from gestures alone, amidst the distraction of blaring music. While he deftly identified 'Leg' and 'Before', the word 'Wicket' left him stumped.

But it was the post-game conversation that truly sent shockwaves through the cricketing community. A befuddled Afridi posed the question: "Leg Before Wicket kya hoti hai? Yeh kaun si cricket ki zuban hai?" Translating to "What does 'Leg Before Wicket' mean? What cricketing language is this?" 

Displaying more of his innocence regarding the term, Afridi surmised that perhaps the hosts meant 'hit wicket', another mode of dismissal in cricket.




This episode was a reminder that even the greats have their moments of naivety. Especially considering that Afridi, in his illustrious career spanning two decades, holds the joint second position for the most LBW dismissals (73) in ODIs, sharing this honour with Waqar Younis and trailing only behind Wasim Akram's astounding 92.

Years have passed since that episode aired, but it remains a favoured topic of conversation in cricketing circles, mixing amusement and disbelief in equal measure. 

One can't help but wonder at the mystery that is Shahid Afridi - a man who etched record after record, yet drew a blank at a term so synonymous with his achievements on the field.