Watch: Pakistan Test debutant Saim Ayub avoided a serious injury after his knee got stuck in the Sydney Cricket Ground outfield during the third day of the Sydney New Year’s Test.

The incident occurred in the 65th over of Australia’s innings, when Steve Smith lofted Sajid Khan over cover. The shot wasn’t connected well, and it lobbed over Saim Ayub at cover, who sprinted to chase the ball. As he came close to the boundary rope, Ayub dived to collect the ball, but in a moment of horror, had his left knee stuck in the ground.

It made him tumble and roll, falling to his side: fortunately, it wasn’t a serious fall and he quickly got up to collect the ball. A big patch of the turf came out, displaying just how dangerous the incident was and how lucky Ayub had been to avoid injury.

On commentary, Adam Gilchrist recalled the infamous Simon Jones incident on the opening day of the 2002/03 Gabba Test, when a similar sequence of events led to a ruptured ACL for the England quick.

A nasty moment in the SCG outfield!

Thankfully Saim Ayub is ok to continue #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/rRAC6rAqer

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 5, 2024

Should Australia have been awarded five penalty runs?

As Ayub tumbled, the rolling ball ran over his fallen cap, leading to questions whether Australia should have been awarded five penalty runs.

According to law 28.2.1.3, if a player discards a piece of clothing, equipment or any other object which subsequently makes contact with the ball, he/she will be deemed to have fielded the ball illegally.

However, in Ayub’s case, clause 28.2.2 would have come to effect, which reads: “It is not illegal fielding if the ball in play makes contact with a piece of clothing, equipment or any other object which has accidentally fallen from the fielder’s person, or been dropped by an umpire.”

At stumps, Pakistan were 68-7 following a middle-order collapse, currently leading by 82 runs.