Watch: Fazalhaq Farooqi sparked drama in Afghanistan’s ODI thriller against Pakistan, running out Shadab Khan before bowling the first ball of the final over.
The dismissal, also known as the ‘Mankad’, stokes controversy whenever it is used, with some feeling it is against the spirit of cricket, and others pointing out it is within the laws, and therefore fair game.
The match had already been a tense, action-packed one. Rahmanullah Gurbaz had hit a scintillating 151 to push Afghanistan to 200-5, and though 91 from Imam-ul-Haq and a half-century from Babar Azam had kept Pakistan in the hunt, it looked as if the hosts would win out. But Shadab kept Pakistan in the hunt with a sparky cameo, hitting a six and a four to take the equation down to 11 needed off the last over.
Desperate to regain the strike, with tailender Naseem Shah at the other end, he tried to take a head-start as Farooqi was running in. The Afghanistan left-arm quick spotted this, and instead of bowling, whipped off the bails. Shadab did not look happy as he walked off, and there was the usual chorus of protest and support on social media.
In the event, Farooqi’s act could not prevent Pakistan from winning. Naseem, who hit two sixes in two balls to win a one-wicket thriller in the Asia Cup last year, repeated the trick with two final-over boundaries, sealing another one-wicket win, this time with only one ball to spare.
