Pakistan batsman Salman Ali Agha was involved in a dramatic and controversial match during the second ODI against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Friday, March 13, sparking debate on the Spirit of Cricket.
The incident occurred in the 39th over when Pakistan built momentum thanks to a steady partnership between Agha and Mohammad Rizwan after Bangladesh opted to bowl first. On the fourth delivery, Rizwan nudged the ball to the bowler’s right where Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz moved in his run.
Miraz managed to stop the ball with his boot but collided with Agha in the finish. The ball stopped near their feet and Agha was momentarily out of his goal area.
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BAN vs PAK 2nd ODI update
Instead of immediately retreating to safety, Agha bent down in an apparent attempt to pick up the ball and return it to Miraz. The Bangladesh captain was quicker to react, picking up the ball and underarming it onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end while Agha was still down.
Mehidy immediately appealed and on-field umpire Tanvir Ahmed referred the decision to the TV umpire, who quickly ruled out Agha after confirming that the ball was still in play and the batsman had not grounded his bat behind the crease.
Agha, who made a well-constructed 64 off 62 balls, looked visibly unhappy at the dismissal. After the recall, he exchanged words with Miraz and continued to express his frustration as he walked back to the pavilion. The situation escalated briefly when Litton Das also got involved before Rizwan intervened to calm matters down.
The dismissal ended a crucial 109-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Agha and Rizwan (44 off 59), halting Pakistan’s progress at a crucial stage of the innings.
While the third umpire’s decision was legally straightforward – the ball was not dead and Miraz had the right to smash the stumps – the moment is likely to spark debate about wicket awareness and the Spirit of Cricket. Many even question Agha’s decision to handle the ball rather than ensure it is safely back on his ground first.
Meanwhile, Agha’s run out triggered a dramatic collapse as Rizwan was also dismissed two balls later to leave Pakistan on 231/5 in 39 overs. They were eventually bundled out for 274 in 47.3 overs, with Rishad Hossain (3/56) and Mehidy Hasan (2/34) being the top two wickets.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
13 March 2026 18:02 IST
