Region: UK | Usage example: Handling the regulatory review was a sticky wicket for the new hire.

A sticky wicket

Meaning

An awkward or difficult situation.

Used when pressure mounts and choices are limited.

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Cricket term describing a damp or soft pitch that makes play unpredictable.

Sporting idiom from Victorian England that later spread into general speech.