Ross Taylor fails to connect a delivery from Hafeez coming down from the orbit

Ross Taylor played a magnificent knock in the first ODI against Pakistan at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi and also built a healthy stand with Tom Latham. His performance helped the Black Caps set a formidable target, which eventually couldn’t be tracked down by the home team. However, apart from his show with the bat, Taylor was also in the news for some unwanted developments.

Mohammad Hafeez, the Pakistani all-rounder, has often been suspended for an illegal bowling action. Back in April this year, he was cleared. During the opening encounter, Taylor made a gesture with a bent arm and suggested that the off-break bowler was chucking. The situation didn’t go down well with Sarfraz Ahmed, the home team’s captain, and he slammed the Black Cap for his action.

Hafeez sends the ball into the orbit

The Kiwi was also criticised by supporters from the nook and corner of the world. In the second match at the same venue, Sarfraz and Hafeez faced off yet another time. Nevertheless, this time around, a light-hearted moment took place. The incident occurred in the last delivery of the 15th over when Hafeez was bowling his third over with the right-handed Taylor playing on 18 runs from 25 deliveries.

Hafeez ran in and tried to send another decent ball down. But, the ball slipped out of his hand and it went high up in the air. It may be for the reason that the weather conditions were hot and humid, and owing to sweaty palms, the bowler couldn’t grip the ball properly. The leather took an eternity to come down as it hung in the air forever. Taylor waited under it, holding his patience.

Taylor tried to smack the delivery on the full, but he missed it completely. The ball landed outside the pitch and Sarfraz, the skipper, collected the ball without much fuss. Taylor went on to play another handy knock of 86 not out from 120 balls. Unfortunately, the knock couldn’t take New Zealand over the line as Pakistan drew level in the series with a victory by six wickets.

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