Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Manipur’s Lamabam Singh out for hitting ball twice in rarest cricket dismissal

Manipur’s Lamabam Ajay Singh fell to one of cricket’s rarest dismissals in the Ranji Trophy Plate League match against Meghalaya on Tuesday, given out for hitting the ball twice in bizarre circumstances. Lamabam had defended a delivery from Aryan Bora, only to see the ball trickle back towards the stumps, prompting him to intercept it with his bat.

The spectators at the game claimed the ball was heading towards the stumps when Lamabam struck it a second time, a scenario that is legal under the laws of cricket, as reported. However, no one, including the batter himself, contested the umpire’s decision.

"He could've padded it away, but he chose to stop it with his bat and was immediately given out 'hit the ball twice' by umpire Dharmesh Bhardwaj. The batter walked off the moment Meghalaya appealed,” a venue official said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

As per Clause 34.1.1 of the MCC Laws, a striker is out ‘hit the ball twice’ if, while the ball is in play, it makes contact with any part of their body or bat, and the striker then wilfully strikes it a second time with the bat or any part of the body (other than a hand not holding the bat) before a fielder touches the ball, except when the second strike is solely to protect their wicket.

The last instance of this rare dismissal in the Ranji Trophy came in 2005-06, when Jammu & Kashmir captain Dhruv Mahajan was ruled out similarly against Jharkhand. Before that, only three other Ranji cricketers had suffered the same fate, Andhra’s K Bavanna (1963-64), J&K’s Shahid Parvez (1986-87), and Tamil Nadu’s Anand George (1998-99).

Lamabam’s 20-ball duck on Tuesday, November 18, was part of a lower-order collapse that left Manipur conceding an 88-run lead to Meghalaya. Manipur will now hope to salvage a draw from this contest, as a single point would be enough to secure a top-two finish and qualify for the Plate final.