In a bizarre turn of events during the first day of the second Test against New Zealand on Wednesday, Bangladeshi wicket-keeper batter Mushfiqur Rahim was dismissed for handling the ball. The incident occurred during an over from New Zealand’s Kyle Jamieson, as Rahim, accustomed to using his hands while standing around the stumps, inadvertently touched the ball while it was in play.
This dismissal marked the first time a Bangladeshi player was out in this manner, joining a rare list of cricketers, including Mohinder Amarnath, Mohsin Khan, and Michael Vaughan, who have been similarly dismissed.
Handling the ball dismissals are infrequent in international cricket, with Rahim becoming only the 11th player to be sent back for using his hands while the ball was not dead. Rahim had scored 35 runs from 83 balls before he was forced to return to the pavilion due to this unusual dismissal.
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What perplexed fans on social media was the fact that the ball was not even on a trajectory to hit the stumps before Rahim used his hands to deflect it away. The decision was referred to the third umpire, who upheld the on-field call in favor of the bowling team.
Here is the video of the incident:
Did Mushfiqur Rahim really need to do that? He’s been given out for obstructing the field! This one will be talked about for a while…
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.#BANvNZ pic.twitter.com/SC7IepKRTh— FanCode (@FanCode) December 6, 2023
According to the Law 36 on ‘Handling The Ball,’ a batsman is out if he intentionally touches the ball with a hand or hands not holding the bat while the ball is in play, unless he does so with the consent of a fielder. The law also states that a batsman is out if he uses his hand or hands not holding the bat to return the ball to any fielder without the consent of a fielder while the ball is in play.
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However, a batsman will not be out under this Law if he handles the ball to avoid injury.
It is noteworthy that the bowler does not receive credit for the dismissal in such cases. The dismissal is recorded as ‘Handled the Ball.’
