A tense moment during the second ODI between Pakistan and Bangladesh quickly turned into a major talking point after Pakistan cricketer Salman Ali Agha was run out in unusual fashion by spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
The incident took place in the 39th over of Pakistan’s innings at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Friday. At the time, Pakistan were comfortably placed at 227 for 3, with Salman Agha and Mohammad Rizwan building a strong partnership. The pair had already added 109 runs from 115 balls for the fourth wicket and looked set to guide their team to a big total.
During the over, Mohammad Rizwan drove a straight delivery from Mehidy Hasan Miraz back towards the bowler. As the latter moved forward to field the ball, Salman Agha, standing at the non-striker’s end, was backing up towards his crease. The bowler and the batter briefly crossed paths while trying to reach the ball.
For a moment, it seemed like Salman Agha was trying to help by picking up the ball and returning it to the bowler. However, Mehidy Hasan Miraz quickly grabbed the ball himself and threw it at the stumps. Salman Agha was caught outside his crease when the ball hit, leading to an appeal from the Bangladesh players.
On-field umpire Tanvir Ahmed referred the decision to the TV umpire. After reviewing the replay, the third umpire ruled that Salman Agha was out, as the ball was still considered in play. The decision left the Pakistan cricketer visibly frustrated. He reacted angrily, throwing his gloves and helmet before walking back to the pavilion.
Here is the video of the incident:
https://x.com/BCBtigers/status/2032426116208791890
Click to watch the video directly on X
The unusual dismissal immediately sparked discussion about both the laws and the spirit of cricket. Technically, the run-out was legal because the ball had not been declared dead. However, Law 41.5 of the ICC Playing Conditions states that fielders should not deliberately distract, deceive or obstruct a batter after the striker has played the ball.
To apply this law in such a situation, the umpire would have needed clear evidence that Mehidy Hasan Miraz intentionally changed his path to block Salman Agha from returning to his crease. Since that was not determined during the review, the dismissal stood.
The moment also seemed to shift the momentum of the match. Just two balls later, Mohammad Rizwan was dismissed and Pakistan’s innings quickly fell apart. From a strong position, they collapsed and were eventually bowled out for 274 in less than 48 overs.
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