Is a batsman out if a fielder hits the wickets with their hand, not holding the ball, before the batsman reaches the crease?

Question

In the game of cricket, there are several ways a batsman can be dismissed. One of these ways is if they fail to reach the crease before the fielder hits the wickets with the ball while running between the wickets. However, what happens if the fielder hits the wickets with their hand instead of the ball, and specifically, not the hand holding the ball? Is the batsman still considered dismissed in this scenario if they haven’t reached the crease?

Answer 1

Not out. Law 29 "The wicket is broken" gives the ways by which the wicket can be broken:

The wicket is broken fairly if a bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or a stump is struck out of the ground [ ... ] by a fielder with his/her hand or arm, providing that the ball is held in the hand or hands so used, or in the hand of the arm so used.

In your scenario, the ball was not held in the hand used so the wicket has not been broken fairly.