Mushfiqur Rahim was dismissed in the most unlikely manner on Day 1 of the 2nd Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Wednesday, December 6. The veteran wicketkeeper-batter became the first Bangladesh star to be dismissed for handling the ball.
It was a brain fade moment for Mushfiqur Rahim in the 41st over of the Bangladesh innings as he used his right hand to push the ball away after playing a defensive shot to a length delivery from fast bowler Kyle Jamieson. The ball was not even heading toward the stump, but Mushfiqur, in a shocking moment of madness, pushed the ball away with gloves on.
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New Zealand players appealed and the umpires, after a chat send it upstairs. The replay showed that he had deliberately handled the ball.
It was an unfortunate moment for Bangladesh as they lost the crucial wicket of their senior wicketkeeper on a pitch that was taking turn as early as the opening day. Bangladesh slipped to 104 for 5 after losing Mushfiqur Rahim for 35. That was also the end of a 57-run stand between Mushfiqur and Shahadat Hossain, who was looking solid in the middle.
Notably, Mushfiqur nearly handled the ball earlier in the innings.
The law itself has undergone changes, and as of October 1, 2017, the ‘handled the ball’ dismissal was subsumed into ‘obstructing the field’ under Law 37. While the method of dismissal remains part of the game’s fabric, it now falls under a different category, ensuring that the act of handling the ball still results in a batsman’s departure from the crease, albeit under a different label.
Mushfiqur Rahim became the first batter in 22 years to get out , handling the ball in Test cricket after Michael Vaughan in 2001 against a Test vs India.
One of the most notable instances involved the tenacious Australian cricketer Steve Waugh during a Test match against India in 2001. In the heat of competition, Waugh found himself in a precarious situation when a delivery from Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh struck him on the pads. As the ball spun dangerously close to the stumps, Waugh, driven by instinct, swept it away with his free hand. This action led to an appeal from the Indian side, and ultimately, Waugh’s dismissal under the ‘handled the ball’ rule.
