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[Watch] Fakhar Zaman, Rizwan Produce Embarrassing Blunder To Miss Easy Run Out Chance

Aakash Saini

image-llmgcuz7Chaos on the field as Pakistan miss runout opportunity (Twitter)

Pakistan bowlers rocked Afghanistan top-order in the latter’s run-chase during the first ODI of their three-match series in Sri Lanka. The ‘Men in Green’, after posting a mere 201, removed three of Afghanistan’s top four batters for ducks within the first four overs of the innings.

Remarkably, Pakistan could have further dented the Afghans in the fourth over, before squandering away an easy runout opportunity on the field.

Zaman, Rizwan’s fielding blunder reprieves AFG from further trouble

Pakistan pace maverick Shaheen Afridi dismissed Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran and number three Rahmat Shah for ducks in successive deliveries of the third over. His new-ball partner Naseem Shah, meanwhile, removed rival captain Hashmatullah Shahidi for another duck to rock Afghanistan at 4-3 in 3.3 overs.

Babar Azam and co. were presented an opportunity to dealt another major blow to Afghanistan in the same over, however, fielder Fakhar Zaman and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan squandered away the easiest of runout chances two balls later.

In the fifth delivery of the fourth over, new batsman Ikram Alikhil pushed Shah towards covers and took off for a run, only to be sent back by his partner Rahmanullah Gurbaz halfway into the crease. Stationed at covers, Zaman gathered the ball and instead of a direct hit, the cricketer ran his way towards stumps before missing an underarm throw to give Alikhil a reprieval.

Notably, Rizwan also missed the runout opportunity from behind the stumps as he failed to read his teammate’s underarm throw.

Alikhil was eventually entrapped by Haris Rauf a while later as Afghanistan’s run-chase took another blow at 18-4. Overall, they reached 48-7 after 16 overs, still in pursuit of another 154 runs from 34 overs.

Afghanistan’s ongoing series against Pakistan in Sri Lanka serves as a testing ground for the two sides before the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. Both teams are slated to face each other once again during the course of the tournament.