‘I was taking my guard and wasn't looking at the bowler’ – Mohammad Nawaz on Mahmudullah’s talked-about ‘dead ball’ in third T20I

All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has put forth his opinions on Mahmudullah’s ‘dead ball’ in the final over of the third T20I between Pakistan and Bangladesh on Monday, November 22 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. While bowling the final delivery of the match, Mahmudullah released the ball in his delivery stride after which Nawaz pulled out.

The ball went on to hit the stumps, but the umpires called the delivery a ‘dead ball’. Speaking on the incident, Nawaz said that he wasn’t ready to face the ball and hence, backed off.

“I was taking my guard and wasn’t looking at the bowler and all of a sudden he delivered the ball. When the ball was halfway down, I looked up and stopped him immediately,” Nawaz said in a post-match interview, Cricwick reported.

I was thinking of going for a win, says Mohammad Nawaz

In the final ball, Nawaz smashed Mahmudullah for a four through the cover region and took Pakistan home in the nail-biter, In the same over, the Bangladesh skipper picked up three wickets of Sarfaraz Ahmed, Haider Ali and Iftikhar Ahmed. However, the three-wicket over couldn’t save the Tigers from a loss.

“I was talking to the non-striker that we should go for a single so that the match is tied but, in my mind, I was thinking that I should hit the ball into the gap and go for the win,” Nawaz added.

On the dead ball saga, Mahmudullah also showed respect towards the umpire’s decision. The Tigers’ captain was also disappointed after his team couldn’t evade a series whitewash.

“I just asked the umpire whether it’s a fair ball or not because he (Nawaz) pulled out late. I just asked this to the umpire nothing else. Umpire’s call is final and we do respect umpires. It’s a little bit heart-breaking. We went closer but unfortunately it did not happen,” Mahmudullah said.

Haider Ali became the Player of the Match after Pakistan won by five wickets. The right-hander made a 38-ball 45 with three fours and two sixes on a difficult pitch to bat in Dhaka. Mohammad Rizwan also contributed with a handy 40-run knock in their run-chase.