Xtra Time Web Desk: Senior Bangladesh batter Mushfiqur Rahim was involved in a brain fade moment as he was given out obstructing the ball on the first day of the second test against New Zealand at Sher-e-Bangla stadium on Wednesday. The incident took place in the 41st over of Bangladesh innings when Rahim defended a rising delivery from BlackCaps tall pacer Kyle Jamieson. The ball after striking the bat was going towards the stumps and while trying to keep the ball away from hitting the wickets, Rahim, in haste, ended up handling the ball.
New Zealand players immediately appealed and the on-field umpires sent the decision to the third umpire to review. The TV umpire was satisfied after watching the replays that Mushfiqur stopped the ball deliberately and was given out.
Here is the video of Mushfiqur Rahim’s bizarre dismissal:
Since 2017, handling the ball has been included within the ambit of obstructing the field. According to the MCC laws 37.1.1 Either batter is out Obstructing the field if, except in the circumstances of 37.2, and while the ball is in play, he/she wilfully attempts to obstruct or distract the fielding side by word or action. See also Law 34 (Hit the ball twice).
With the ball still in play and Mushfiqur ‘wilfully’ pushing the ball away, he had to be sent back to the dressing room after scoring 35 off 83 balls.
Mushfiqur’s dismissal is the first batter to be dismissed for obstructing the field in Tests since the rule was updated in 2017. While previously, seven batters have been given out ‘handling the ball’ in Men’s Tests history.