4 Indian batters who got out hit wicket in a T20I match
Hit wicket is a rare mode of dismissal in international cricket. A batter is declared out hit wicket when he himself dislodges the bails off the stumps by hitting his bat by mistake or losing body balance in such a way that the timber is disturbed.
Interestingly, none of the Indian batters got out in this fashion during India's first 11 years as a T20I nation. However, in the last four years, there have been four such instances when an Indian batter dislodged the bails off the stumps by mistake while playing a shot, with two of them coming in India's last two T20I completed matches.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the four Indian batters who have been dismissed via hit wicket in T20I matches.
#1 Shreyas Iyer vs. New Zealand, 2022
Ferguson to Shreyas Iyer, THATS OUT!! Hit Wkt!!
#INDvsNZ https://t.co/HkWqBaGCh8
Shreyas Iyer is the latest entrant on this list. The right-handed batter lost his wicket in unfortunate fashion while playing in the second T20I of the ongoing series against New Zealand. Iyer came out to bat at number four in the match at Bay Oval.
He looked in good touch during his innings as he raced to 13 runs off eight balls, hitting one four and one six. It seemed like Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav would stitch up a big partnership for the Indian team.
However, on the fourth ball of the innings' 13th over, bowled by Lockie Ferguson, Shreyas Iyer got out via hit wicket. He tried to guide a back-of-length delivery towards the square leg region, but in the process, his leg hit the stumps.
#2 Hardik Pandya vs. England, 2022
Hardik Pandya played one of the best T20I knocks of his career in the T20 World Cup 2022 semifinal against England earlier this month. Coming out to bat in a difficult situation at number five, Pandya aggregated 63 runs off 32 balls, smashing four fours and five sixes.
He could have scored four more runs had he not hit the stumps on the innings' final ball. Pandya smacked a ball from Chris Jordan toward the leg-side boundary, but his leg hit the stumps, leading to his dismissal.
#3 Harshal Patel vs. New Zealand, 2021
#IndVsNZ A very strange dismissal as #HarshalPatel is out hit the wicket! 2nd Indian after #KLRahul to be out in this manner. Harshal was standing very far back in his crease. https://t.co/jctmbfafDD
Lockie Ferguson has dismissed another Indian batter in this fashion, and his name is Harshal Patel. The fast bowler made his T20I debut in the home series against New Zealand last year.
During the third T20I of the series at Eden Gardens, Patel stood deep inside the crease while facing Ferguson in the 19th over. He stood so deep that when he attempted a shot towards the off-side, he dislodged the bails off the stumps and got out hit wicket.
#4 KL Rahul vs. Sri Lanka, 2018
https://t.co/neGsPXviX0
Indian T20I vice-captain KL Rahul was the first player from the country to lose his wicket in this fashion. It happened in a Nidahas Trophy match against Sri Lanka back in 2018.
Rahul was batting on 18 when he placed a delivery from Jeevan Mendis toward the leg side. He misjudged the landing of his backfoot as he got out hit wicket.