Lucknow Super Giants pulled off a peculiar wicket on Sunday, dismissing Kolkata Knight Riders’ Angkrish Raghuvanshi for obstructing the field – marking him as just the fourth player in IPL history to suffer this fate.
Cricket purists know ‘obstructing the field’ as one of the game’s more obscure dismissals. It requires the batsman to wilfully block a fielder’s path to the stumps or ball during a run-out play. Raghuvanshi’s high-profile exit revives memories of three prior occurrences in the world’s richest T20 league.
Pioneering this list was Yusuf Pathan in 2013. The hard-hitting all-rounder, donning KKR colors, crafted a masterful 72 off 44 deliveries against Pune Warriors before his reckless return path obstructed fielders, ending his stay dramatically.
Amit Mishra’s turn came in 2019 at Visakhapatnam. The wily leg-spinner, batting for Delhi Capitals versus Sunrisers Hyderabad, scratched out 1 run from 2 balls. His obstruction during a throw-in sealed a forgettable cameo.
Ravindra Jadeja etched his name in 2024, playing for CSK against RCB. The star all-rounder’s 5 off 6 balls concluded when his body impeded the ball’s path back to the stumps amid a run-out referral.
For Raghuvanshi, the drama peaked in the fifth over. He middled a shot to mid-on, dashed for a single, but partner Cameron Green hesitated. Diving frantically, the throw cannoned into his leg as he grounded his bat – enough for LSG’s Rishabh Pant to convince umpires of obstruction.
Such dismissals are conversation starters, blending skill lapses with rule-book technicalities. With IPL’s global spotlight, they cement the tournament’s reputation for delivering the unexpected.
