Rare dismissals in the game of cricket.
In cricket, the fielding side finding the better of the batting side thus leading to the dismissal of the batter is a crucial event that the game is based upon.
Just like numerous memories that cricket has gifted us over the years, unusual dismissals in this sport have been a regular feature now and then. Let’s turn back time and look back at some of them.
- Taijul Islam v Sri Lanka, 2021
In the second Test match of the series at Kandy visitors Bangladesh were trailing by 242 runs in reply to Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 493 as Taijul Islam and Abu Jayed batted to decrease the deficit by any small margin.
In the 83rd over of the innings, in an attempt to negate a delivery off Suranga Lakmal, Taijul played a defensive shot. Unfortunately, Taijul ended up moving backwards too awkwardly; causing the shoe of his left foot to come off and nudge the stumps. This caused the bails to fall off resulting in Taijul being dismissed by hit-wicket.
The cricketing world has seen many hit wickets before but a batter getting hit wicket via his own shoe is definitely a rarity.
- Shahid Afridi v Bangladesh, 2012.
In Shahid Afridi’s 22 years in international cricket, he has undoubtedly seen plenty. However, his dismissal against Bangladesh in the 2012 Asia Cup at Dhaka is unlikely to fade from his memory as captain Misbah-ul-Haq aided in his dismissal.
Afridi, facing a flighted delivery from Shakib played it straight back at him. The ball went low at Shakib as he bent down to make his first attempt which was an unsuccessful one but as the ball went to his left, he was able to fumble it up in the air where Misbah was standing at the non-striker’s end.
The ball hit the Pakistan skipper’s body and before it could have landed on the ground, Shakib brilliantly caught it with his right hand.
- Azhar Ali v Australia, 2018.
Former Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq were involved in a bizarre runout in the second Test against Australia in Abu Dhabi.
Ali who was batting at 64, got an outside edge which ran away to the third man as both the batters thought that the ball had gone away for a boundary. Thus, Ali came down the pitch to have a word with his non-striker Shafiq, but they had no clue that the ball had stopped just short of the boundary line.
Starc who was in pursuit of the ball collected the ball and threw it to Tim Paine, who dislodged the stumps with both the batsmen dumbfounded in the middle of the pitch. Azhar Ali was eventually given out.
- Andrew Symonds v Sri Lanka, 2006.
Late Australian great all-rounder Andrew Symonds was part of one of the unluckiest ways to get out against Sri Lanka at Melbourne. Symonds batting at number 5 scored 66 in quick time.
In the 40th over, Lankan bowler Jehan Mubarak bowled a flat delivery which Symonds hit hard and straight down the ground. But the ball hit non-striker Michael Clarke’s ankle and lobbed up to mid-wicket where T. Dilshan took an easy catch. Symonds could only smile at the incident as he made his way to the dressing room.
- Inzamam-ul-Haq v South Africa, 1992.
South Africa’s Jonty Rhodes’ moment of magic is commonly regarded as one of the most iconic dismissals in the history of the game.
In the 1992 World Cup between Pakistan and South Africa, Inzamam tried to heave one of the deliveries towards the leg-side but it ended up hitting his pads and going towards Rhodes fielding at point.
The non-striker turned down the quick single. Sprinting in from point, Rhodes picked up the ball and dove in full length with the ball towards the stumps and knocked them all down to run-out Inzamam.
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