Danushka Gunathilaka is the most recent cricketer to join the list of Cricketers Dismissed For Obstructing The Field In One Day Internationals (ODI), check full list below of the players given out in cricket
The Sri Lankan Opener is the eighth batsman in the history of One-Day International (ODI) cricket to join the list.
Full List Of Cricketers Given Out For Obstructing The Field In ODI Cricket
Notably, four Pakistani players are a part of this bizarre list.
Danushka Gunathilaka Dismissed
Obstructing the field is one of the rarest ways of losing a wicket in cricket. In fact, Gunathilaka is only the eighth player ever dismissed for obstructing the field in ODI history.
The dismissal happened in the first ODI of the three-match series between West Indies and Sri Lanka. The match took place at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Wednesday.
Danushka Gunathilaka played well in the match forming a 105-run partnership with skipper Dimuth Karunaratne for the opening wicket.
However, the umpire dismissed both batsmen in quick succession, followed by a collapse. This resulted in Sri Lanka losing the match by 8-wickets as the hosts comfortably chased down the set target.
However, it was Gunathilaka’s dismissal that grabbed the maximum attention after the umpire adjudged him out for obstructing the field.
During Sri Lanka’s 22nd over, Gunathilaka took a couple of steps out to take a single but then decided to get back to his crease.
While attempting this, the batsman ended up deflecting the ball away from Kieron Pollard’s reach using his foot. The bowler appealed immediately, and the third umpire was called. After looking at several replays, the TV umpire too agreed with the ‘out’ decision made by the on-field umpires.
Obstructing The Field Rule
According to Law 37 of the laws of cricket:
If a batsman willfully attempts to distract or obstruct the fielding side by action or words, the batsman on strike during the ball can be given out.
Further, handling the ball, which is another rare mode of dismissal in cricket, is included under the rule of obstruction of the field.
History Of Players Dismissed For Obstructing The Field
The first batsman dismissed for obstructing the field in ODI history was former Pakistan captain and now a renowned commentator, Ramiz Raja.
It happened back in the year 1987, when Pakistan was playing an ODI against England in Karachi.
Ramiz was unbeaten on 98 but ended up using his bat to prevent the ball from hitting the stumps. It was the first time a player obstructed the field in an ODI fixture.
Another prominent cricketer dismissed for obstructing the field was ex-Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq.
His dismissal occurred during the first ODI against India in 2006 at Peshawar. Inzi drove the ball to mid-off, at Suresh Raina position.
The Indian fielder threw the ball back to the striker’s end, but Inzamam stopped it with his bat. The officcial immediately dismissed Inzamam he was in the line of the stumps and out of his crease.
More recently, in 2015, England all-rounder Ben Stokes was dismissed for obstructing the field during the second ODI against Australia. Stokes tried to stop the ball from his hand when Mitchell Starc threw the white leather to run him out.
Full List Of Cricketers Dismissed For ‘Obstructing The Field’ in ODIs
Given below is the full list of cricketers dismissed for obstructing the field in ODIs:
- Ramiz Raja v ENG, 1987
- Mohinder Amarnath v SL, 1989
- Inzamam-ul-Haq v IND, 2006
- Mohammad Hafeez v SA, 2013
- Anwar Ali v SA, 2013
- Ben Stokes v AUS, 2015
- Xavier Marshall v UAE, 2019
- Danushka Gunathilaka v WI, 2021
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