The second ODI between Pakistan and Afghanistan on Thursday had a controversial moment when, with Pakistan needing 11 off six balls, the latter's bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi of Afghanistan showed extreme game awareness and ran out Shadab Khan at the non-striker's end. Shadab Khan, who was running amok scoring 48 off 35 balls, was backing up too far on the first ball of the last over. Farooqi while bowling the first delivery ran him out. Though, Afghanistan started celebrating, Shadab waited. The TV umpire agrees though agreed that it was indeed a run out. However, few balls later, Naseem Shah took Pakistan home.
This has again led to a debate on the batter's getting run out. South Africa legend AB de Villiers has now entered the debate. On a post, regarding the run out, which read: "The commentator, probably HD Ackerman, said: 'I don't have a problem with Mankad, but why don't teams do it in 5th or 6th over of the innings? Why only towards the end of if? They just panic and they do it when they think it's the only way to win the match' #AFGvPAK" - he gave an interesting reply.
"Cause batters only try to steal runs towards the back end of an innings," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter)
Number ten batsman Naseem Shah hit a boundary off the penultimate delivery to give Pakistan a dramatic one-wicket win over a luckless Afghanistan in the second ODI at Hambantota on Thursday.
The 20-year-old miscued a boundary off fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi and ran jubilantly towards the dressing room as Pakistan scored 11 off the final over to finish with 302-9 in 49.5 overs.
The victory gave Pakistan an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series with the last game in Colombo on Saturday.
Pakistan's late surge overshadowed Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz's career-best run-a-ball 151 that lifted his team to 300-5 in their 50 overs.
With AFP inputs