Sylhet Strikers captain Mashrafe Mortaza was run out in a bizarre manner in a Bangladesh Premier League 2024 game against Rangpur Riders today (January 23).
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Sylhet Strikers were put into bat after losing the toss at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Their first wicket fell in the second over as Mohammad Mithun was stumped off the bowling of Mahedi Hasan.
Mortaza, the skipper of the side and an elected member of Parliament, promoted himself to No.3, presumably to play the role of a pinch-hitter. However, he wasn’t able to get a move on as he struggled his way to six of six balls before being run out of the seventh one he faced.
The manner of his dismissal, however, was strange. He flicked a length ball on the stumps from Mahedi behind square on the leg side and took off for a run, albeit in a laboured fashion, probably thinking that it would be an easy single to complete.
The square leg fielder, Azmatullah Omarzai, noticed Mortaza’s lazy running, attacked the ball and threw it towards the non-striker’s end. The throw burst through Mahedi’s hands but luckily for the fielding side, it deflected onto the stumps.
Mortaza, who had been watching the fielder and the throw all along, made no effort to drag his bat into the crease. Instead, he plonked his bat inside, having already crossed the popping crease, but by then the bails had been dislodged and he was given out by the third umpire.
Bat in – but not grounded 😂 Blunder by Mashrafe Mortaza 😬
Came to bat at no.3, scored 6(7) and got out because of his lethargic running 🙃#INDvENG #INDvsENG #SA20 #RanjiTrophy #U19WorldCup #BPL2024 #BBL13 #BBL #ILT20 #WPL2024 pic.twitter.com/itNC1kAurI
— TCTV Cricket (@tctv1offl) January 23, 2024
In another strange incident in the 2024 Bangladesh Premier League, during the match between Fortune Barishal and Khulna Tigers on January 22, Shoaib Malik had overstepped thrice in a single over, conceding 18 runs in the process.
Mortaza’s wicket in today’s game was the second one to fall for Sylhet. Benny Howell and Ben Cutting scored 37 each to take them to 120-8 from their 20 overs. Rangpur were 37-3 after six overs in response.
