The second Test between Afghanistan and Zimbabwe saw a bizarre incident on Friday (March 12), as umpires penalized Afghanistan a run for intentionally conceding boundary to keep the opposition team’s tail-ender on strike.

The incident happened on Day 3 of the Test match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi when Zimbabwe were struggling at 281 for 8 in reply to Afghanistan’s mammoth first innings total of 545/4 (declared).

Middle-order batsman Sikandar Raza (79*) was holding the one end for Zimbabwe while the other man in the middle was Blessing Muzarabani, who Afghanistan wanted to have on strike.

During the last delivery of 91st over in Zimbabwe’s innings, Raza hit a yorker through the cover region and the ball stopped inches short of the boundary ropes.

In order to bring Muzarabani on strike, Afghanistan fielder Hashmatullah Shahidi put one of his feet over the boundary rope while stopping the ball.

Soon after the event, on-field umpires Ahmed Shah Pakteen and Aleem Dar gathered in the middle and decided to award an extra run to Zimbabwe, citing that Shahidi’s act was intentional. Moreover, Raza was also allowed to retain strike for the next over.

Here’s the video of the incident:

According to the Laws of Cricket: “If the boundary results from an overthrow or from the willful act of a fielder, the runs scored shall be any runs for penalties awarded to either side and the allowance for the boundary and the runs completed by the batsmen, together with the run in progress if they had already crossed at the instant of the throw or act.”

(Inputs from The Indian Express)