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During the match, Pakistan batsman Salman Aga changed the way between running while taking a run, which Suryakumar immediately hit the appeal of ‘Abstraction the Field’. But the replay clearly showed that Aga’s intention was not intentionally to stop the way and the umpire denied the appeal and called him not out.
Suryakumar Yadav made a peculiar appeal against Salman Agha, umpire denied New Delhi. In the final of the Asia Cup 2025, where crores of hearts were beating on every ball, there came a moment that turned the thrill of the match into a debate of morality. In this Maha-Mukabale being played between India and Pakistan, Suryakumar Yadav raised questions about the image of the ‘Gentleman Game’ of cricket.
Suryakumar has forgotten sportsmanship
During the match, Pakistan batsman Salman Aga changed the way between running while taking a run, which Suryakumar immediately hit the appeal of ‘Abstraction the Field’. But the replay clearly showed that Aga’s intention was not intentionally to stop the way and the umpire denied the appeal and called him not out. The incident took place on the first ball of the 16th over when Pakistan captain Salman plays the Aga Akshar ball towards the cover and after Suryakumar’s missfield, he runs away 2 runs, in the meantime, Surya throws on the Striker and now because Salman’s back was on his side, so he was not looking at the ball, so the umpire gives him a knot.
What do the rules say?
Under the Obstructing the Field Rules (Cricket Rules 37), if a batsman deliberately obstructs the field of fields or actions or distracts their attention, he can be called out. This includes deliberately hitting the ball with his feet or hands, or intentionally coming on the way to the fielders. Whether or not it has been done with the intention of saving the wicket of the batsman, it depends on the discretion of the umpires, but if done intentionally, it is out. Let us tell you that the first example of giving out a batsman to obstruct the field was in 1792 in England’s domestic cricket match between Sheffield Cricket Club and Bents Green. Batting against South Africa in 1951, England’s Lane Hutton was the only batsman to be given Obstructing the Field out in Test cricket before Mushfiqur Rahim.
Pakistan’s 2 batsmen have been out
In limited overs cricket, Pakistan’s Rameez Raja, who was batting for 99 against England in a ODI match in 1987, was dismissed for changing the ball direction to avoid being run out on the last ball of the innings. In the ODI match in Ahmedabad against Sri Lanka in 1989, Indian veteran Mohinder Amarnath was dismissed for kicking the ball to avoid being run out. Mohinder Amarnath also has a unique achievement of being a player who has been dismissed due to handling the ball as well as obstructing the field. One of the great players of modern times, Pakistan’s Inzamam-ul-Haq was declared Obstructing the Field Out after stopping the ball thrown by a fielder at striker & at a striker and while batting against India in the 2006 ODI match.