‘Bizarre’: Cricket world divided over ’harsh’ dismissal in Pakistan domestic league

Another day, another bizarre cricket dismissal.

Spare a thought for batter Mohammad Waleed, who was dismissed in seriously unusual fashion in the final of the 2024-25 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan’s domestic first class cricket competition.

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Batting for Sialkot, Waleed was yet to score when he defended a delivery back down the pitch to bowler Mohammad Amir Khan at the National Stadium in Karachi.

Waleed appeared to be safely in his crease, but Khan had a rush of blood and threw the ball towards the stumps at the strikers end.

Replays showed Waleed’s front foot was outside his crease and in a series of unfortunate events, he jumped up in the air and out of the way of the ball, which smashed into the stumps.

Watch the bizarre dismissal in the video above

By the letter of the law he was run out and he had to trudge back to the pavilion after the decision was sent to the third umpire.

“There is a new ruling that if you’re standing inside then your jump might matter,” the commentator said. “Oh no, that is so unfortunate.”

After winning the toss and bowling first, Peshawar posted a score of 258 and Sialkot scored 245 in reply.

The Pakistan Cricket account on X posted: “Strange dismissal. Mohammad Waleed gets out in a bizarre manner.

England’s Barmy Army said: “What a bizarre way to get out.”

Mohammad Waleed came out to bat at 3/140 in the 48th over, and he was still yet to get off the mark in the 50th over before he was run out.

Law 38 of cricket, which deals with run outs, has clause 38.2.1.1 that states: “A batter is not run out [if] … he/she has been within his/her ground and has subsequently left it to avoid injury, when the wicket is broken”.

That Law is up for interpretation in this instance, given replays showed Waleed might well have been outside his crease when he jumped to take evasive action.

One fan wrote on X: “He’s clearly left his crease to avoid injury so this should not have been given out. It’s also a level one offence by the bowler in English league cricket.”

A second said: “Wrong decision – he was taking evasive action to protect himself.”

Another said: “Well that’s a new one on me. Bit harsh, as he’s taking evasive action rather than trying to get an advantage.”

It’s certainly a different take on Alex Carey’s run-out of Jonny Bairstow during the 2023 Ashes when the Australian wicketkeeper threw down the stumps from behind when the England batter wandered out of his crease.