The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has weighed in on a contentious run-out involving Pakistan’s Salman Agha during the second ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur. The moment unfolded late in Pakistan’s innings at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium when Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz, completing his follow-through, made contact with the ball using his boot and collided with Agha.
The Pakistan batter, briefly outside his crease, appeared to hesitate and lean toward the ball instead of immediately returning to safety. Miraz reacted quickly, collected the ball and struck the stumps at the non-striker’s end. The appeal was taken to the TV umpire, who ruled that the ball remained live and that Agha had not regained his ground in time, resulting in his dismissal.
The MCC later clarified that the decision aligned fully with the Laws, noting that the batter’s position outside the crease at the moment the wicket was broken left no room for interpretation.
“There is no case, therefore, to be made that this was Not out under Law, nor that the Law could be re-written to somehow make a situation like this Not out,” MCC said in a statement. “Under Laws, there is little that either umpire could have done differently. The non-striker was clearly out of his ground when the wicket was broken, and the ball was in play. That is out,” MCC’s statement read.
“It is also worth pointing out that the non-striker had left his ground when the ball was in play and had just started to attempt to regain his ground when he collided with Mehidy. Furthermore, no batter should attempt to pick the ball up without the consent of the fielding side, and had he done so, he would have been at risk of an Obstructing the field dismissal. In retrospect, he would have been better using that time to attempt to regain his ground,” it was added.
MCC on spirit of cricket
Despite the ruling, the incident sparked discussion around the Spirit of Cricket. Agha later indicated he would not have chosen to run out a batter in similar circumstances.
“Yet many people have expressed sympathy for Agha and suggested that this dismissal was against the Spirit of Cricket. It certainly would have been possible for Mehidy, as Bangladesh captain, to withdraw his appeal. Agha clearly thought the ball was dead and was attempting to assist the fielding side after an unintentional collision which made it harder for him to regain his ground. The Laws allow a withdrawal for incidents where the batter is out in Law, but the fielding side feels that it would be better, within the Spirit of Cricket, to allow them to continue,” the MCC added.
Following the dismissal, Agha showed visible frustration on the field, throwing his gloves and helmet. Match referee Neeyamur Rashid subsequently reprimanded him for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct related to misuse of equipment.
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