Ramiz Raja, on air, criticised Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz for the bizarre run-out of Salman Ali Agha.
Miraz runs out Agha after the latter’s bizarre brain-fade
One-down in the three-match ODI series, Pakistan had an excellent start in the second ODI, in Mirpur. Playing in his second ODI, Maaz Sadaqat blazed away to a 46-ball 75 with six fours and five sixes. However, Bangladesh struck back, and Pakistan slipped from 103-0 to 122-3.
Mohammad Rizwan (44) and Agha (64) then put on 109 for the fourth wicket. At this point, Miraz bowled from over the wicket, and Rizwan pushed it back towards Agha, the non-striker, who was standing outside the crease.
After Miraz stopped the ball with his boot, Agha seemed to attempt to stoop and pick up the ball (presumably to hand it to Miraz) before hesitating. Miraz, meanwhile, picked up the ball and, realising Agha was still outside the crease, hit the wicket with an underarm throw. Agha, unable to find a way to return, was left short of the crease.
The decision was referred to the TV umpire, and a fuming Agha threw his helmet and gloves on the ground. After being rightly ruled out, he picked them up and, after walking for some more time, flung them on the ground again.
The wicket was significant, as Pakistan were eventually bowled out for 274. Mehidy finished with 10-2-34-2.
Ramiz left fuming, but was it really against the Spirit?
On air, former Pakistan captain Ramiz expressed his disappointment at the dismissal. “As far as the Laws were concerned, he was out, but sportsmanship? I’m afraid that got a massive hit. [He was] just about to pick up the ball, give it back to the bowler, and the bowler felt [there was] chance of a run out.”
Ramiz was right to point out that Agha had merely tried to pick up the ball. While it is not uncommon for batters to do so, Agha would have been given out obstructing the field under Law 37.4 had Bangladesh appealed: “Either batter is out Obstructing the field if, at any time while the ball is in play and, without the consent of a fielder, he/she uses the bat or any part of his/her person to return the ball to any fielder.” A famous instance of such dismissals took at Perth in a Test match 1979, when Sarfraz Nawaz ran out Andrew Hilditch.
Incidentally, Ramiz was the first batter to be given out obstructing the field in the history of ODIs.
Agha had left the crease and was given out because he prioritised picking up the ball to returning to the crease. Had he succeeded in the first, he would still have been out.
