Pakistan Test batsman Adnan Akmal’s wicket fell in one of the least common forms of dismissal during a domestic Twenty20 match at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Akmal was representing Lahore Blues against Quetta Region yesterday in the qualifying round of the Haier Twenty20 Cup when he was given out for ‘obstructing the field’ by the TV umpire, according to Cricket.com.au.
The opening batsman had made 12 runs when he came between a throw from Quetta’s Sher Hassan and the stumps in the sixth over of the innings.
Initially, it seemed as if Akmal was protecting himself, however, after reviewing the television replay the third-umpire, Sajid Afridi, declared him guilty of deliberately blocking the stumps.
Akmal, who played 12 Tests for Pakistan between 2010 and 2014, became only the sixth batsman in the twelve-year history of T20 cricket to be ruled out in this unusual fashion. The other five batsmen who have gained such dismissals include Ahmed Hayat of Pakistan, Chinthaka Perera of Sri Lanka, Adrian Barath of West Indies, India’s Yusuf Pathan and Devon Thomas, also from West Indies.
According to Law 37 of rule-making body the Marylebone Cricket Club’s (MCC) Laws of Cricket, a batsman is out if he “wilfully obstructs the opposition by word or action”.
Despite Akmal’s dismissal, Lahore Blues achieved a comfortable nine wickets win over Quetta Region, and advanced to the semi-finals of the qualifying stage, where they will need to win in order to gain a place in the main round of the Haier Twenty20 cup 2015.
Batsmen given out for obstructing the field in Twenty20s:
2005: Ahmed Hayat (Faisalabad Wolves): against Karachi Dolphins at Lahore
2009: Chinthaka Perera (Basnahira South): against Wayamba at Colombo (SSC)
2012: Adrian Barath (Trinidad and Tobago): against Canada at Bridgetown
2013: Yusuf Pathan (Kolkata Knight Riders): against Pune Warriors at Ranchi
2013: Devon Thomas (Antigua Hawksbills): against Guyana Amazon Warriors at North Sound
2015: Adnan Akmal (Lahore Blues): against Quetta Region at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
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