The 32nd match of BBL 13 marked the return of Aussie internationals Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja to franchise cricket, evoking a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of a typical gully cricket game.
Opting to bat first, the Heat faced early setbacks, losing their openers in quick succession, prompting Labuschagne to rebuild the innings. However, an unusual incident occurred just after the Drinks break.
On the last ball of the tenth over, Labuschagne secured a single to deep square leg before the scheduled break. According to cricket rules, he should have retained strike for the following delivery. Nevertheless, after the hydration interval, the batsmen swapped ends, resulting in Sam Billings facing the next ball instead of Labuschagne.
Subsequently, Billings managed a single on the first ball of the eleventh over, and in the subsequent delivery, Labuschagne edged a delivery outside the off stump to the wicketkeeper, leading to his dismissal.
Never ever Happened on cricket field happens in Bigbash🚨
— Sujeet Suman (@sujeetsuman1991) January 10, 2024
~Last ball of 10th over Marnus Labuschagne takes the strike
~The first ball of the 11th over Billing takes the strike (How???)#AUSvWI #PAKvsNZ #Ishankishan #BBL13 #INDvAUS #CricketTwitterpic.twitter.com/zZxw1CIZsO
If the officials had recognized the incorrect batter facing the first ball of the eleventh over, Labuschagne might have been dismissed earlier. This mistake sparked a significant debate among broadcasters and spectators, drawing comparisons on Twitter to the quirks often witnessed in gully cricket games.