‘If I get bowled, the captain can't feel sorry for me and call me back right?’ – AB de Villiers on Litton Das' decision to recall Ish Sodhi

Bangladesh bowler Hasan Mahmud found himself at the center of a contentious incident involving New Zealand's Ish Sodhi in the second ODI in Mirpur when Mahmud attempted a run-out at the non-striker's end. Mahmud removed the bails before delivering the ball upon noticing that Sodhi had strayed out of the crease. Umpire Marais Erasmus referred the decision to the third umpire, who ultimately declared Sodhi out for backing up.

However, what ensued was a fascinating twist in the tale. As the kiwi spinner reluctantly made his way back to the pavilion, he resorted to irony by applauding Mahmud's actions. Yet, Bangladesh captain Litton Das stepped in and decided to recall Sodhi.

This decision, however, did not sit well with everyone. Among those critical of Das' call was Bangladesh's senior batsman, Tamim Iqbal. But it was not just within the team that the decision faced scrutiny; South African cricket legend AB de Villiers also weighed in on the matter. De Villiers, a former South Africa captain known for his cricketing acumen, expressed strong sentiments regarding the incident.

He stated that the rule surrounding run-outs at the non-striker's end needed clarification. In his view, the dismissal of a batter in such a scenario should be treated consistently with other modes of dismissal or possibly removed from the rule book altogether.

“Something that is irritating me at the moment is the rule of the run out when the batter is leaving the crease. Ish Sodhi was called back by the captain and I think, this is a little all over the place. I looked at the footage. If I get bowled, the captain can't feel sorry for me and call me back. Right? So, why would this rule allow the batters to be called back?” the 39-year-old said on his official YouTube channel.

‘I don't see this as sportsmanship’ – AB de Villiers on Litton Das' recall 

De Villiers further asserted that the Bangladesh skipper's decision to call Sodhi back wasn't an act of sportsmanship because it was, in his opinion, a "fair dismissal." He advocated for a clear stance on the matter, suggesting that either the rule should be enforced uniformly, without allowances for batters to be called back, or it should be removed from the game's rule book entirely.

“You can't say, 'ah, he is my friend, call him back'. I don't see this as sportsmanship, I'm sorry. It's a fair dismissal, it's out. Walk off the field,” concluded de Villiers.