Explained: Does bowler get credit for Mushfiqur Rahim obstructing the field dismissal?

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On the opening day of Bangladesh vs New Zealand 2nd Test in Mirpur, Mushfiqur Rahim was given out for obstructing the field, making history as the first Bangladesh batter in Test cricket history to be dismissed in that fashion.

After blocking a ball from Kyle Jamieson into the ground and then swatting it away with his right hand when it bounced up wide outside off stump, Mushfiqur Rahim was removed in the 41st over. Television umpire Ahsan Raza promptly upheld New Zealand's appeal. But did Kyle Jamieson get credit for the dismissal, we take a look at how the rules work behind such dismissals.

According to Law 37.1.2, "The striker is out obstructing the field if, except in the circumstances of 37.2, in the act of receiving a ball delivered by the bowler, he/she wilfully strikes the ball with a hand not holding the bat. This will apply whether it is the first strike or a second or subsequent strike. The act of receiving the ball shall extend both to playing at the ball and to striking the ball more than once in defence of his/her wicket."

Formerly, these dismissals were categorized as "handled the ball," but a 2017 law change eliminated that term and replaced it with "obstructing the field." Notably, the bowler gets no credit in such a mode of dismissal as the dismissal is just registered as obstructing the field.

"The reason for the change was largely based around timing. For handled the ball, the offence had to be in the act of receiving the ball and it was felt to be simpler to include it as obstructing the field, of which it was a special example.

"A batter handling the ball later (e.g. blocking a throw deliberately) would have been obstruction and so it was decided it would be easier to include handling the ball within the obstructing the field Law. Whether or not the batter would be dismissed did not change - rather just the method of dismissal."

Interestingly, Mushfiqur Rahim had made several attempts to touch the ball with his glove during his innings in Mirpur before. He had attempted to use his right hand to knock the ball away from the stumps in the 29th over, the first one after lunch, but had missed the mark.