Watch: Against Romania at Ilfov County in 2023, Fanyan Mughal of Malta became the first to be given out hit the ball twice in international cricket.

The story probably began on August 28, 1624, during a match at Horsted Keynes. Edward Tye of West Hoathly hit a ball once. With the ball still in air, he had another swing, and connected with the head of Hosted Keynes fielder Jasper Vinall. Thirteen days after the match, Vinall became the first known person to die from an incident on a cricket field.

In 1647, a similar incident in Selsley, West Sussex killed one Henry Brand.

It is not very clear whether these incidents influenced the 1744 Laws of Cricket, the first time they were written, but they do mention that “if a Ball is nipp’d up, and he strikes it again wilfully, before it came to the Wicket, it’s out.”

Law 34, in its current form, is not very different: “The striker is out Hit the ball twice if, while the ball is in play, it strikes any part of his/her person or is struck by his/her bat and, before the ball has been touched by a fielder, the striker wilfully strikes it again with his/her bat or person, other than a hand not holding the bat, except for the sole purpose of guarding his/her wicket.”

In 1786, Tom Sueter – one of the first outstanding wicketkeepers – became the first to be given out in this manner in first-class cricket. At the time of writing, there have been 23 incidents. The list includes big names like Dick Barlow, Dick Lilley, and Zaheer Abbas as well as a 2023 World Cupper, Ikram Alikhil.

In List A cricket, Imran Ali of Lahore Blues and Kurt Wilkinson of Barbados have been the only batters on the list.

The first incident in international cricket as well as in any Twenty20 cricket, however, took place in a Twenty20 International match, at the 2023 Continental Cup in Romania.

Malta were off to a cautious start that day, reaching 44-1 after 6.5 overs. Medium-pacer Shantanu Vashisht bowled on the leg-stump, and Fanyan Mughal had a swing. The ball hit Mughal’s bat and lobbed near his feet, and Romanian wicketkeeper Satvik Nadigotla came charging to collect the ball.

Mughal, almost certainly on reflex, patted the ball away. The Romanian team appealed, and Mughal walked back, after being given out hit the ball twice. “Incredibly unprofessional,” criticised the commentator.

Malta eventually made 156-7, a total Romania overhauled with nine wickets and nine balls in hand.

Watch Fanyan Mughal become the first to be dismissed hit the ball twice in international cricket: