‘Get a grip’ – Stuart Broad leads chorus of ex-pros complaining about controversial U19 World Cup field obstruction dismissal

England batter Hamza Shaikh was given out obstructing the field in the 17th over of the match after he picked up the ball lying near his feet and gave it to the wicketkeeper.

England had started off well with the bat, with opener Theo Wylie leading the charge. Their second wicket fell on 70, bringing Shaikh to the crease. Facing left-arm spinner Ryan Simbi, Shaikh attempted a cover drive, only to get an inside edge. The ball hit his back leg and died close to the popping crease.

Assuming the ball to be dead, Shaikh picked it up and handed it to the Zimbabwe wicketkeeper Ryan Kamwemba. The Zimbabwe fielders, including the wicketkeeper went up in appeal immediately for an obstructing the field dismissal, leaving Shaikh bemused. The on-field umpires referred it to the TV umpire, who gave Shaikh out under Law 37.4, which deals with returning the ball to a fielder.

According the law, “Either batter is out Obstructing the field if, at any time while the ball is in play and, without the consent of a fielder, he/she uses the bat or any part of his/her person to return the ball to any fielder.”

Since Shaikh had not asked any Zimbabwe fielder before picking up the ball and it was still considered to be in play, the umpire had to give him out.

There were, however, widespread reactions on social media regarding the dismissal, with most arguing that it didn’t make any logical sense to give it out. Broad was among the voices which expressed their frustration over the dismissal.

“Oh get a grip. He’s passing a stationary ball back to the fielder? Doing him a favour! Cant give that out,” Broad wrote on X (formerly Twitter), quoting a video of Shaikh’s dismissal.

Oh get a grip. He’s passing a stationary ball back to the fielder? Doing him a favour! Cant give that out https://t.co/0iVQXKNw6d

— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) February 3, 2024

Another former England seamer held similar views. Steve Harmison said while commentating on the India-England Test match that the decision to give Shaikh out was a “shocker”. “I’m sorry that’s a shocker. If you’re getting given out for that then the game’s gone, it really has. How can an umpire give that out?,”  said Harmison. Martin Bicknell, another former England seamer, posted “This is pathetic.”

Shaikh became just the third batter in the history of men’s Under-19 ODIs to be given out obstructing the field. England eventually finished their innings at 237-7, which proved too much for Zimbabwe who were bowled out for 91, handing England an easy win.