During the Super Sixes clash against Zimbabwe, England faced a setback in their innings as they experienced a middle-order collapse despite a promising start, fueled by Theo Wylie’s half-century.
Amidst this downturn, a peculiar incident unfolded when Hamza Shaikh lost his wicket due to an unusual ‘obstructing the field’ dismissal while attempting to assist the wicketkeeper in retrieving the ball.
In the 17th over, Shaikh found himself with an inside edge during an intended forward defense, causing the ball to become lodged near his foot. Unfamiliar with the MCC laws, the right-handed batter stooped down to pick up the ball and hand it to the wicketkeeper, Ryan Kamwemba.
Seizing this opportunity, the bowler and wicketkeeper appealed for a dismissal. To Shaikh’s astonishment, on-field umpires Donovan Koch and Masudur Rahman referred the decision to TV umpire Nigel Duguid.
Out for obstructing the field 😂😂 #Cricket
— Cow Corner (@CowCorner183) February 3, 2024
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Ultimately, the decision went against Shaikh as it aligned with MCC Law 37.4, which states, “Either batter is out obstructing the field if, at any time while the ball is in play and without the consent of a fielder, he/she uses the bat or any part of his/her person to return the ball to any fielder.”