Mehidy Hasan on Mushfiqur Rahim’s “obstructing the field” dismissal

Mushfiqur was dismissed for 35 off 83 balls in the 41st over of Bangladesh’s innings. He defended a delivery from New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson and then used his right hand to push the ball away. TV umpire Ahsan Raza declared him out after New Zealand appealed for “obstructing the field” dismissal.

While the experienced keeper-batter came in for some criticism over his lack awareness, Mehidy Hasan defended Mushfiqur. He said, “Look this one was not intentional, it just happened with the flow. Nobody wants to get out knowingly. There are lot of things going around at the back of the mind during different situations in a game.”

Referring to Angelo Mathews’ timed out dismissal during the Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh World Cup 2023 clash, Mehidy Hasan added, “In the World Cup, we got a timed-out dismissal against a Sri Lankan batter in our favour but today what happened with Mushfiq bhai, it all happened in a flow. When I am batting after playing a shot and when the ball is coming near the stumps, you have to make quick decisions about what you can do and what you can’t. Certainly he didn’t do that intentionally.”

According to Law 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 willfully strikes the ball with a hand not holding the bat. This will apply whether it is the first strike or a second or 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 defense of his/her wicket.”

Further, Mehidy Hasan, also backed the team management’s decision to prepare a spin-friendly as it gives them the best chance of winning a Test. Fifteen wickets fell on the opening day of the second Test in Dhaka. Bangladesh were bowled out for 172 in 66.2 overs. In response, the Kiws went to stumps at 55/5 in 12.4 overs.

“If we can’t bowl out our opponents, we won’t be able to win Tests. We won on similar pitches against England and Australia. We have good spinners who create opportunities in home conditions,” he said.

“A better wicket will obviously be good for batters. They struggle on these wickets. But it is part of the planning of the team management. Since we are on top, we will definitely want to take this advantage, Mehidy Hasan added.

Mehidy Hasan took 3/17 in six overs, while Taijul Islam picked up 2/29 in 5.4 overs. For the Kiwis, Daryl Mitchell was batting on 12 and Glenn Phillips on 5.

–By A Cricket Correspondent