The job of a batter in cricket is to score runs with the bat. There have been a handful of instances when batters have brought their hands into play. Notably, each instance saw the use of hands for all other purposes, except for scoring runs.
There was a law known as “handled the ball” before 2017. According to this law, the batter can use hands to catch/handle the ball only on two instances. First is to avoid an injury. If the ball is directed towards the batter’s body, then they can spontaneously deflect the ball with their hand to avoid injury. Second is to return the ball to the fielding side with their permission in case the ball becomes dead near the batter.
A batter can often be in a scenario where the ball edges the bat and rolls towards the stumps. In such a case, the ball can be deflected by using any part of the body except the hand not holding the bat.
A batter is not allowed to catch the ball if the fielder throws the ball towards the stumps. Catching the ball in such a scene will lead to the batter’s immediate dismissal because of ‘obstructing the field’. In 2017, the law of handling the ball was brought under the law of obstructing the field.
There are a few points to keep in mind to understand this law better.
- If a ball gets trapped in the batter’s pads or clothing, the ball is considered dead. The batter can then hold the ball to return to the fielding side.
- If a batter gets out by obstructing the field, the wicket will not be credited to the bowler.
- If a batter hits the ball and the non-strike batter deflects the ball deliberately with the hand or bat to avoid the fielder from taking a catch, then the striker who would be called out, not the non-striker.
As of January 2025, batters have been dismissed for obstructing the field twice in test cricket, nine times in One Day Internationals, and six times in T20 International cricket. Six other occasions of obstructing the field were recorded in domestic cricket and T20 league cricket.
