Dhaka, Bangladesh – A shocking dismissal during the second Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand has left the cricket world astounded. Veteran Bangladeshi batsman Mushfiqur Rahim was given out for handling the ball, a very rare form of dismissal.
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
The incident occurred on the third day of the Test match in Dhaka. Rahim, Bangladesh’s leading run-scorer in Tests, had scored 35 crucial runs for his team when he bizarrely used his hands to divert a delivery that was not threatening the stumps. The on-field umpires referred the decision to the third umpire, who ruled Rahim out as per the laws of the game.
Rahim became the first Bangladeshi player and only the 12th overall to be dismissed this way in international cricket. The dismissal comes as a huge surprise since the ball was not on track to hit the wickets. Social media erupted with confusion and memes about Rahim’s inexplicable actions.
According to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) rules, a batsman is out for handling the ball if they deliberately touch it with their hand without the consent of the fielding team. However, very few players have suffered this fate in the history of the sport.
The rare dismissal could prove very costly for Bangladesh, who lost one of their most reliable batsmen. At the time of the incident, Bangladesh still trailed New Zealand’s first innings total by over 80 runs. Rahim’s wicket now exposes their vulnerable middle and lower batting lineup.
Only time will tell how much impact this unusual dismissal has on the outcome of the match and the series. But Mushfiqur Rahim may now be immortalized in cricketing history books for his momentary lapse in concentration.
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