Explained: Mushfiqur Rahim's obstructing the field dismissal

In one of the most bizarre dismissals in cricket, Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim was given out, obstructing the field during the opening day of the second Test against New Zealand in Dhaka. The veteran batter defended a delivery from Kyle Jamieson and then patted the ball away with his right hand – that is, with the hand he was not holding the bat. He scored 35 off 83. New Zealand appealed and upon referring it to the third umpire, Rahim was given out.

However, this was not the first time he attempted to tap the ball away in this innings.

His dismissal style was similar to when Steve Waugh was given out “handling the ball” against India in a Test in 2001. However, since 2017, handling the ball has come under the ambit of obstructing the field, according to the latest ICC media release.

According to the laws of cricket pertaining to obstructing the field:

37.1.1 Either batter is out Obstructing the field if, except in the circumstances of 37.2 (Not out Obstructing the field), 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).

37.1.2 The striker is out Obstructing the field if, except in the circumstances of 37.2, in the act of receiving a ball delivered by the bowler, he/she wilfully strikes the ball with a hand not holding the bat. This will apply whether it is the first strike or a second or a subsequent strike. The act of receiving the ball shall extend both to playing at the ball and to striking the ball more than once in defence of his/her wicket.

In short, all handling the ball dismissals from 2017 onwards will be classified as obstructing the field. Rahim, therefore becomes the first batter to be out in this fashion since the rule update in 2017.

Also, Waugh would have been given out obstructing the field and not handling the ball had this rule come in earlier.

This therefore makes Rahim only the second batter in the history of Test cricket to be out obstructing the field, after England’s Len Hutton handled the ball against South Africa at The Oval in August 1951. After top edging a ball, Hutton played at it a second time to defend it from hitting the stumps but, in the process, prevented the wicketkeeper from taking a catch.

Including Waugh, there have been seven cricketers who have been given out handling the ball. But according to the latest rules, we will no longer have such a dismissal.