Umpiring Controversies

Inzamam Obstructing the Field — 2006

2006England vs Pakistan3rd Test, England vs Pakistan1 min readSeverity: Mild

Summary

Inzamam-ul-Haq was given out 'handled the ball' in a Test match after instinctively swatting the ball away from his stumps, one of cricket's rarest dismissals.

What Happened

During the third Test between England and Pakistan in 2006, Inzamam-ul-Haq was dismissed in one of cricket's most unusual ways — "handled the ball." After playing a defensive shot, the ball rolled back towards his stumps.

Instinctively, Inzamam reached down and knocked the ball away from the stumps with his hand. The English players appealed, and the umpire had no choice but to give him out under Law 33 (now part of Law 37 — obstructing the field).

Inzamam was clearly acting on instinct rather than trying to gain an unfair advantage, but the Laws were clear. It was one of only a handful of "handled the ball" dismissals in Test history.

The incident highlighted one of cricket's more obscure laws and the difficulty umpires face when a dismissal is technically correct but feels harsh. The "handled the ball" mode of dismissal was later merged into "obstructing the field" in the 2017 revision of the Laws.

⚖️ The Verdict

Correctly given out under the Laws, though widely seen as harsh. The mode of dismissal was later merged into 'obstructing the field.'

Tags

#inzamam#obstructing#handled the ball#unusual dismissal

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