BAN vs PAK: Shoaib Malik gets run out in bizarre manner in first T20I

Veteran Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik is known for his sharp presence of mind and game awareness. However, he showcased neither of these skills during the first T20I against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Chasing a mediocre-looking target of 128, the Men in Green got off to a terrible start and suffered a top-order collapse.

As a result, in-form batters like Mohammad Rizwan, skipper Babar Azam, and Haider Ali were dismissed inside the powerplay overs. Malik came to bat at number five and was expected to stabilize the innings with a sensible knock. However, the 39-year-old couldn’t even open his account and bagged a three-ball duck. Unlike Rizwan, Azam and Haider, Malik didn’t get out while playing a false shot.

Shoaib Malik bags a duck in a bizarre manner

He, instead, got run-out, and that too in an astonishing manner. It was the last delivery of the powerplay overs and Mustafizur Rahman was operating with the ball. He bowled a short-of-length delivery which Malik played gently and casually took a couple of steps out of his crease. The veteran saw that the ball was going to wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan and didn’t attempt to take a run.

However, by the time he could reach the crease, Nurul shattered the stumps with a direct hit. The on-field officials subsequently referred the decision to the third umpire and Malik was found short of his crease. The Bangladesh players were nothing but delighted as they got Malik’s wicket as a bonus. While cricket lovers lauded Nurul’s awareness on social media, Malik’s carelessness earned backlash.

Speaking of how the game panned out, the coin landed in Bangladesh’s favour and Mahmudullah elected to bat. Hasan Ali, who endured a tough time in the recently-concluded T20 World Cup 2021, was Pakistan’s stand-out bowler, having taken three wickets at a cost of 22 runs. As a result, Bangladesh were restricted to 127/7 in their allotted 20 overs.

While Pakistan’s chase wasn’t smooth, Fakhar Zaman and Khushdil Shah’s sensible knocks helped the Men in Green cross the line with four balls to spare. This four-wicket win earned Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.