Cricket's Rarest Dismissals Explained: Hit Wicket, Handled the Ball, Timed Out and Obstructing the Field
Cricket's five rarest dismissal methods — hit wicket (batsman breaks own stumps), handled the ball (now merged into 'obstructing the field'), timed out (3-minute entry rule), obstructing the field (deliberate obstruction), and hit the ball twice. How often each occurs and famous examples.
Cricket has 10 methods of dismissal under the Laws: bowled, timed out, caught, handled the ball (now merged with obstructing the field), hit the ball twice, hit wicket, LBW, obstructing the field, run out, and stumped. The first four in alphabetical order cover virtually all dismissals in real cricket — caught, bowled, LBW, and run out account for approximately 93% of all dismissals at international level. The remaining 6 types are genuinely rare — some occurring fewer than 20 times in the entire 140-year history of international cricket.
Hit Wicket: When the Batsman Breaks Their Own Stumps
Hit wicket (Law 35): the batsman breaks their own stumps — with their bat, body, or equipment — while playing a shot or setting off for their first run. The stumps must be broken during or immediately after the stroke (not while walking back toward the crease after a completed shot). Hit wicket is the most common of the rare dismissals — approximately 1 per 150 international innings. It typically occurs when: a batsman plays a big drive and their bat follows through to hit the stumps (the wind-through hitting the bails); or a batsman steps back into their stumps while ducking a short-pitched delivery. Famous hit wicket: Virat Kohli was dismissed hit wicket vs Australia in the 2018 Tests when his bat follow-through dislodged the bails after a powerful pull shot. It is considered particularly unlucky because the bat motion was part of a successful shot attempt.
Timed Out and Obstructing the Field
Timed out (Law 40): an incoming batsman must be ready to face the ball within 3 minutes of the previous wicket falling — otherwise they can be given out 'timed out.' The only timed out dismissal in international cricket: Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka) vs Bangladesh in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Mathews came to the crease and his helmet strap broke as he was about to take guard; Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan appealed for timed out. The umpires upheld the appeal. The dismissal generated enormous controversy — Mathews argued it was unsportsmanlike; Shakib argued it was within the Laws. Obstructing the field (Law 37): a batsman who deliberately obstructs a fielder attempting a catch or run-out can be given out. This has occurred fewer than 10 times in international cricket. The most recent international obstructing-the-field dismissal: in 2019, a Bangladesh batsman was adjudged out for using their hand to stop the ball during a run-out attempt.
Hit the Ball Twice and Handled the Ball
Hit the ball twice (Law 34): a batsman who deliberately strikes the ball with their bat a second time (after already playing a shot) is out. This is legal in one situation only — guarding the stumps (if the ball is about to hit the stumps after being played by the bat, the batsman can legally hit it a second time to prevent being bowled). Accidental second touches are not out. There have been no international cases of a batsman being given out for hit the ball twice in the past 50 years. Handled the ball (Law 33 before 2017): a batsman was previously out for handling the ball with their hand (not glove) without the umpire's permission. This Law was merged into 'obstructing the field' in the 2017 MCC Law revision — making 'handling the ball' a historical form of 'obstructing the field' rather than a separate dismissal type.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 10 ways to be dismissed in cricket?
Caught, bowled, LBW, run out, stumped (the common 5 — accounting for ~95% of all dismissals). Rare: hit wicket (batsman breaks own stumps), timed out (3-minute entry rule), obstructing the field/handled the ball (deliberate obstruction), hit the ball twice (deliberately striking the ball a second time). A batsman can also be 'retired out' (voluntarily retiring after being retired hurt, not returning — counted as a dismissal). Total: 10 official dismissal methods under the Laws of Cricket.
Has anyone ever been timed out in international cricket?
Yes — only once: Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka) vs Bangladesh in the 2023 ODI World Cup match at Delhi (6 November 2023). Mathews came to the crease after a wicket and his helmet strap broke as he prepared to bat. Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan appealed for timed out; the umpires upheld the appeal as the 3-minute window had expired. It is the only timed-out dismissal in international cricket history. The incident prompted MCC clarification on when the timed-out clock can be paused.
What is the hit wicket dismissal?
Hit wicket (Law 35): the batsman breaks their own stumps — dislodging at least one bail — with their bat, body, or equipment while playing a shot or setting off for their first run. It typically occurs from: a bat follow-through hitting the stumps after a powerful drive; a batsman stepping back onto their stumps while ducking a bouncer. Hit wicket is roughly 1 per 150 international innings — the most frequent of the 'rare' dismissal types. The batsman is not out hit wicket if the stumps are broken between completing a shot and returning to their crease.