Michael Vaughan cheekily welcomed Mushifiqur Rahim into the exclusive ‘handled the ball’ club on December 6 after the Bangladesh wicketkeeper was dismissed on day one of the second Test against New Zealand.

During the opening day of the second Test match between Bangladesh and New Zealand, held at Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on December 6, Rahim faced a moment of lapse that led to his dismissal in a manner not seen in over two decades.

In what could only be described as a momentary lapse of reason, the seasoned wicketkeeper-batsman found himself at the center of a rare cricketing event. After defending a delivery from New Zealand’s pacer Kyle Jamieson, Rahim inexplicably used his right hand, still donned with his batting glove, to swat the ball away. The peculiar aspect of this action was that the ball was not on a trajectory to hit the stumps, rendering his intervention unnecessary and ultimately, costly.

The New Zealand fielding side, spotting the infringement, wasted no time in appealing. The on-field umpires conferred and decided to refer the decision to the third umpire. Upon review, it was clear that Rahim had indeed deliberately handled the ball, leading to his dismissal.

This dismissal marked Rahim as the first Bangladeshi cricketer to be given out for handling the ball, a method of dismissal that has become a rarity in the sport. Notably, this type of dismissal has been reclassified since October 1, 2017. Previously known as ‘handled the ball’, it is now considered ‘obstructing the field’ under Law 37 of the game. Despite the change in terminology, the consequence remains unchanged: a batsman found guilty of this act must leave the crease.

Rahim’s departure for 35 runs left Bangladesh in a precarious position at 104 for 5, on a pitch that showed signs of turn from the very first day.

Rahim is the 8th batter in men’s cricket to get dismissed by handling the ball and the first after Vaughan in 2001. The former England skipper decided to put out a hilarious welcome for the Bangladesh batter into the exclusive list.

“Welcome to the very exclusive Handled ball club @mushfiqur15.. only proper players are members ..” said Vaughan on X.