Agha got run out by Miraz while trying to pick up the ball at the non-striker's end.
Controversy erupted during the second ODI between Pakistan and Bangladesh in Dhaka on Friday (March 13) after Salman Ali Agha was run-out by Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
The incident unfolded in the 39th over when the visitors were building a steady partnership as Agha and Mohammad Rizwan had added more than 100 runs for the fifth wicket after being put into bat.
On the fourth delivery of that over, Rizwan nudged Miraz's ball towards the right of the bowler. At this moment, the Bangladesh captain moved quickly to stop the ball with his shoe and collided with Agha, who was at the non-striker's end.
The ball stopped and Agha was outside his crease, but he appeared to bend down to pick up the ball and return it to Miraz instead. However, the bowler had other plans as he quickly collected the ball and hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end.
Miraz immediately went up for an appeal and the on-field umpire referred the decision to the TV umpire, who concluded that the ball was still in play and the batter had not made his ground, declaring Agha out.
While the incident has triggered the "Spirit of Cricket" debate, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the custodian of the Laws of Cricket, clarified that Salman Agha's run-out was fully valid under the laws.
MCC stressed that a batter should never attempt to pick up the ball without the fielding side’s consent.
“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.”
"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,” the MCC stated.
Agha’s dismissal led to Miraz facing severe scrutiny on social media. In fact, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif also slammed the Bangladesh skipper for his “unsportsmanlike” act.
On that point, the MCC said the decision ultimately rested with Bangladesh - they could either uphold the dismissal or withdraw the appeal.
"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.
While walking back to the dugout after being dismissed for 64 from 62 balls, Salman Ali Agha was seen throwing his helmet and gloves in anger. He also exchanged words with Miraz after the appeal and continued voicing his frustration on his way to the pavilion.
During the post-match press conference, Agha addressed his controversial dismissal, saying that he would have done things differently.
"I think sportsman spirit has to be there. What he [Mehidy] has done is in the law. I think if he thinks it's right, it's right, but if you ask me my perspective, I would have done differently. I would have gone for sportsman spirit. We haven't done this [type of thing] previously, we would never do that in the future as well," Agha told reporters.
"Actually, the ball hit on my pad and then my bat. So I thought he can't get me run-out now, because the ball already hit on my pad and my bat. I was just trying to give him the ball back. I was not looking for the run or anything like that, but he already decided [to make the run-out]," he further remarked.