Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton Das spoke about the controversial run-out of Salman Ali Agha during the second ODI against Pakistan on Mar 13. Litton said the dismissal was completely within the rules and that Bangladesh had every right to take the wicket.
The moment happened in the 39th over of Pakistan’s innings and that time, Agha and Mohammad Rizwan were building a good partnership after Mehidy Hasan Miraz chose to field first.
On the fourth ball of the over, Rizwan gently pushed the ball towards the bowler’s right side and Miraz tried to stop it with his boot during his follow-through and accidentally collided with Agha at the non-striker’s end. The ball stopped close to them and Agha stepped out of his crease. Thinking the play had ended, he bent down to pick up the ball and return it to Miraz.
However, Miraz quickly picked up the ball and threw it underarm at the non-striker’s stumps while Agha was still outside his crease. Miraz appealed immediately and on-field umpire Tanvir Ahmed referred the decision to the TV umpire. After checking the replay, the third umpire ruled Agha run out because the ball was still in play and his bat was not inside the crease.
Agha, who had scored 64 runs from 62 balls, was clearly unhappy with the decision and exchanged words with Miraz. The situation became tense for a moment when Litton also got involved, but Rizwan stepped in to calm things down.
After the match, Litton defended Bangladesh’s decision and said that the team was playing a international match and not a friendly or charity game.
“First of all, no one came here to play a charity league; this is an international match,” said Litton, as quoted by Daily Star Bangladesh.
During the broadcast, former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja said the decision affected the spirit of the game and Agha had only tried to help the bowler and did not expect to be run out.
“Although it is out according to the rules, sportsmanship has been severely affected here. The batter had gone to help the bowler. He did not expect that he would be run out for it,” said Raja.
Litton disagreed with that view and said the dismissal followed the rules and that the players believed a legal wicket should count.
“Since the dismissal is within the rules, I don’t see from any angle that sportsmanship was compromised. Everyone is entitled to their own personal opinion. But as players, we felt that an out is an out,” Litton added.
Later, Agha shared his thoughts during the press conference and accepted that Miraz’s action was legal but said he personally would have acted differently.
“I think sportsman spirit has to be there,” Agha said at the press conference. “What he (Mehidy) has done is in the law. I think if he thinks it’s right, it’s right, but if you ask me my perspective, I would have done differently. I would have gone for sportsman spirit. We haven’t done this type of thing previously, we would never do that in the future as well,” said Agha.