Afghanistan batter Mujeeb Ur Rahman forgot to put on his box while coming out to bat against Bangladesh. Play was held up amidst much mirth.
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Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan opted to bowl in the Match 3 of the 2023 World Cup at Dharamsala. Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam, their new-ball bowlers, were erratic in the early overs, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran blazed away to 27-o in five overs.
Shakib made bowling changes from both ends after that. Mustafizur Rahman found his rhythm immediately, and Shakib took out Ibrahim (22) at the other end. At that point Afghanistan were 47, but Mustafizur took out Gurbaz, and Afghanistan collapsed.
Shakib (3-30) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (3-25) ran through the middle order, and Afghanistan No.9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman walked out at 150-7, in only the 35th over, when Rashid Khan’s inside edge off Mehidy hit the stumps.
Five balls remained in the over. Mujeeb took guard. Shakib and Mehidy surrounded him with a slip and a leg slip. Everyone was ready, but… Mujeeb called a halt to the events.
The substitute fielder rushed in, and there was laughter all around when the reason was revealed: Mujeeb had forgotten to wear his box. “Well, that’s a mistake at any given time of the day. That should be the first thing that you put in your package,” quipped Matthew Hayden as Mujeeb put it on.
“That is proper village stuff, that,” added Simon Doull. “You can’t hide it, chief, we all know! He’s trying to hide in his hand! You can’t hide it! We all know what’s going on. Oh Mujeeb, you’re lucky it’s a spinner on.”
It is another thing that some yesteryear Test cricketers – Tim O’Brien of England or Eric Rowan of South Africa, for example – preferred to bat without the box.
Mujeeb’s stay at the crease lasted slightly longer than the duration of the hold-up. He got off the mark with a push to cover off the first ball he faced but fell in the next over. He went for a wild slog – an unusual choice of shot, given that Bangladesh had 81 balls and two wickets in hand, and was clean bowled.
The Afghanistan innings closed at 156. Only Zimbabwe (134 against England at Albury in 1992) have successfully defended a lower score in the men’s World Cup.
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