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Missing Run-Up For 5 Times! When Wahab Riaz Received Abuses From A Fuming Mickey Arthur

Akshita Patel∙ Updated: Dec 1 2024, 7:30 PM

Wahab Riaz's antics leaves Mickey Arthur embarrassed [Source: @SportsCentral/YouTube]Wahab Riaz's antics leaves Mickey Arthur embarrassed [Source: @SportsCentral/YouTube]

On Day 2 of second Pink ball Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka back in 2017, Pakistan fast bowler Wahab Riaz aborted his run up five times in a row, leaving coach Mickey Arthur and captain Sarfaraz Ahmed fuming. Arthur was livid as he animatedly stormed inside the dressing room only to return with abuses. 

Sri Lanka were batting first with Dimuth Karunaratne and Niroshan Dickwella on the crease. Pakistan bowlers were tired, having bowled over 100 overs in the first innings. Meanwhile, for the 111th over, skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed handed over the pink ball to veteran fast bowler Wahab Riaz. 

Wahab Riaz leaves Arthur fuming with bizarre moment

After bowling 4 balls, Riaz was seen struggling with his run up. In a sequence that left both fans and the Pakistan team management frustrated, Wahab Riaz aborted his delivery five consecutive times. 

He didn't look injured by repeated aborts, leaving captain Sarfaraz Khan frustrated. He checked on his bowler, and everything seemed fine. Still, Riaz kept on aborting his run-ups. 

Meanwhile, Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur, seated in the viewing gallery, was absolutely fuming. He shook his head and then stormed out in anger. After the 5th abort, Arthur, with no patience whatsoever, animatedly returned to his seat and hurled abuses. 

The viral video of the incident, which went viral, captured the reactions of both Arthur and Sarfraz, with Arthur eventually walking away in disbelief. The pacer quickly became the laughing stock in social media with fans cooking up wild stories to tell the embarrassing moment.

That being said, on the third day, Wahab Riaz redeemed himself to deliver a fiery spell, taking three wickets for just 10 runs to dismantle Sri Lanka's second innings. However, Pakistan's batting woes in the first innings, where they managed just 262 in response to Sri Lanka's 482, proved fatal as they lost the game by 68 runs in a steep chase.