A high full toss was called a no ball at the death of the first South Africa-Pakistan ODI, despite bowling Shadab Khan.
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The moment proved pivotal, with the tourists going on to record a three-wicket win from the final ball of the game.
The incident came on what should have been the penultimate ball of the penultimate over. Shadab Khan was on strike on 26 not out, with his partner, Faheem Ashraf on two off five.
Lungi Ngidi and South Africa thought they had claimed a key wicket when Shadab played on in unusual circumstances. Ngidi erred, bowling a waist-high full toss, only for the leg-spinner to guide the ball onto his stumps in attempting to run the ball fine on the off-side.
The hosts celebrated, but Shadab stood his ground and the umpires sent the decision upstairs. While it is out of the ordinary for a batsman to be bowled by an illegal full toss, the Laws of Cricket refer only to the height of the ball when it passes the batsman, rather than the height of the stumps.
Chopped on via a No Ball, you don't see that often.
LIVE: https://t.co/60VcHLi1eY#SAvPAK #PAKvSA pic.twitter.com/SmYRxzljrR
— 🏏Flashscore Cricket Commentators (@FlashCric) April 2, 2021
“Any delivery, which passes or would have passed, without pitching, above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease, is to be deemed to be unfair, whether or not it is likely to inflict physical injury on the striker,” reads section 41.7.1 of the ICC’s ODI playing conditions. “If the bowler bowls such a delivery the umpire shall immediately call and signal no ball.”
Replays clearly showed the ball above Shadab’s waist, and so the dismissal was struck off, with Pakistan awarded an extra run and a free hit. With Shadab driving the extra delivery elegantly to the rope, the scenario had changed from Pakistan needing 11 off seven balls with two new batsmen in to requiring a run a ball with a set player still at the crease.
The drama wasn’t done yet, with the incident just one moment in an action-packed finish. The ball before Shadab’s no ball reprieve, he had been given another life, dropped by Rassie van der Dussen. His charmed life came to an end in the final over, with Faheem Ashraf eventually hitting the final ball to the rope to secure a last-gasp victory.
