Just seven balls left for West Indies’ batting innings to end. Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman delivers the ball. Oshane Thomas misses. The keeper collects the ball. But, out of nowhere, the bails fall off.
Many a bizarre thing has happened in cricket but hit wicket dismissals have always psyched everyone’s interest over the years. A similar incident took place in the World Cup group stage match between West Indies and Bangladesh on Monday in Taunton.
After the initial bewilderment, when the players and the on-field umpires grasped what had happened, the latter decided to go upstairs to seek a third-umpire review. The replays, nonetheless, stole the show! It revealed Thomas lowering the bat after missing the ball and in the process knocking over the bails and standing as perplexed as the rest of the Bangladeshi players on the field.
However, the aspect that began debates across the cricketing fraternity was why the West Indian was not given an out? Third umpire Paul Wilson ruled out that possibility on the ground that the particular incident happened after he had completed the shot, and hence, was not out as per the laws of the game.
Lord’s Cricket ground also came out in support of the same, throwing further light on the scene.
The decision was correctly given as not out by the TV umpire because Oshane Thomas was no longer receiving the delivery. The ball had gone, his shot was completed and he was not attempting a run.
— Lord's Cricket Ground 🏏 (@HomeOfCricket) June 17, 2019
Find out more about the Laws of Cricket here ➡️ https://t.co/0LyqeVOMKm#CWC19 https://t.co/DtXyX31iWx
Though Windies went on to put a solid score of 321/8 on the board for Bangladesh to chase, this amusing incident in the dying minutes of the innings did keep Twitter reeling. Here are some of the best reactions to the entire episode:
Oshane Thomas has cost the Windies at least 20 odd runs because of brainless bat swinging! #WIvBAN #CWC19
— No clean sheets FC (@sull_noronha) June 17, 2019
Oshane Thomas just did a Mark Waugh.https://t.co/XFEl7TmuHH#CWC19 #WIvBAN
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) June 17, 2019
BIZARRE! Oshane Thomas has smashed his own wickets. The umpire deems rightly, it's ruled NOT OUT as he had completed his shot. One of the most bizarre moments of CWC 2019.
— ZEE. 🇵🇰 (@iBleedGreenZEE) June 17, 2019
😂🤣😅 #BANvWI pic.twitter.com/F8MwK1N9ke
#WIvBAN Oshane Thomas hits wicket ,but not out? !.This umpiring decision should be given world cup.!
— S.Balaji (@balajibands) June 17, 2019
Oshane Thomas is first WI bowler who bats like tailender #BANvWI
— Mustafa (@Mustafa_JKh) June 17, 2019
Oshane Thomas survives in the weirdest of ways!
— Cricket Afridi (@CktAfridi37) June 17, 2019
He finishes the swing of his bat and hits the bails, but he's through with the shot and the third umpire adjudges him to be not out. #WIvBAN | #CWC19
#OshaneThomas completes his shot. Knocks his stumps in follow through. Adjudged not-out. Takes a single of the last ball of penultimate over. @BCBtigers happy! #CWC19
— rosh! (@roshinoz) June 17, 2019
Oshane Thomas is hilarious. Not often you get someone so incompetent with the bat these days... #CWC19 #bbccricket
— Adam‽ (@adinho85) June 17, 2019
Oshane Thomas has just won the World Cup. Hand the boy the trophy.
— Nick Friend (@NickFriend1) June 17, 2019
Want to watch what actually happened? Click here.
Featured photo courtesy: ICC Cricket World Cup
