Shoaib Bashir Survives As Kyle Abbott’s Towel Falls In Delivery Stride With Umpire Calling It A No Ball; Watch

Shoaib Bashir got a life most bizarrely during the match between Somerset and Hampshire in the County Championship 2024-25 season. He was clean bowled by Kyle Abbott but remained at the crease due to a very peculiar ruling by the umpire and the video of the same has gone viral.

Kyle Abbott was instrumental in Hampshire’s impressive performance against Somerset in the current County Championship Division One match in Taunton. Somerset struggled in their first innings, scoring just 136 runs. Abbott claimed four wickets for 36 runs in the first innings.

Kyle Abbott’s fallen towel gives Shoaib Bashir a life despite being clean-bowled

Abbott bowled Hampshire batsman Shoaib Bashir in the closing seconds of Somerset’s first innings. Bashir, on the other hand, survived because Abbott’s towel fell near the non-striker’s end, creating a distraction. The umpire called it a no-ball and let Bashir continue his batting despite being dismissed.

Abbott aimed a superb ball at the middle stump. During the delivery, his hand towel came off his pants at the non-striker’s end by accident.

Shoaib Bashir’s displeasure was evident when the ball smacked the stumps. The umpire noted the distraction caused by Kyle Abbott’s towel slipping out and declared the delivery a no-ball.

The commentators also shared their reactions and said: “His towel has fallen out of his back pocket, which means it’s a no-ball. And would you believe it? Kyle Abbott would’ve been on a hattrick.”

The official account of County Championship has now shared the bizarre cricket moment on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“Kyle Abbott nearly had two wickets in two balls… But a towel fell out of Abbott’s back pocket in his delivery stride, and it was deemed a dead ball,” the post read.

Here is the video:

Law 20.4.2.6 enables umpires to call a dead ball when “the striker is distracted by any noise or movement or in any other way while preparing to receive, or receiving a delivery.”

However, Shoaib Bashir didn’t get to celebrate his life for long. Kyle Abbott eventually got him out on the second-to-last ball of the 54th over via LBW. He was the final batter to be dismissed in Somerset’s first innings. Somerset scored 136 runs in 53.5 overs on day one.

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