Pakistan keeper Mohammad Rizwan almost recreated Jonny Bairstow’s infamous Ashes run-out in a rare moment of levity amid a disappointing campaign so far.
Following the first ball of the 17th over, South African batsman Aiden Markram missed pacer Haris Rauf’s delivery, with Rizwan quick to remove the stumps as Markram wandered from his crease.
Rizwan put his arms out with a smile as the MA Chidambaram Stadium erupted with laughter as they recognised the moment, but Rizwan did not appeal.
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DRS cruelly denies Pakistan victory | 00:41
Despite the lighthearted moment, Pakistan ultimately fell to the Proteas, which chased down 271 runs with one wicket in hand.
It leaves Pakistan sixth on the table, with wins only coming against Sri Lanka and Netherlands so far in this campaign.
The Bairstow dismissal on the fifth day of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s has become a moment of infamy in the rivalry’s storied history.
Alex Carey dismissed Bairstow, who had left his crease, leading to a vociferous reaction that threatened to engulf the entire series.
The fallout continued this week when Bairstow broke his silence on the moment, saying he didn’t agree with Australia’s tactics throughout the series.
“It wouldn’t come into my mind, you know, because you’re stood in your crease. If you’re starting in your crease, then it wouldn’t even enter my mind to do that,” Bairstow said in an excerpt from ‘Bazball: The inside story of a Test Cricket Revolution’.
“If you start in your crease, and not trying to take a run, and you finish in your crease… That’s the bit – if you try to gain an advantage, then it’s fair game. But if you’re starting in your crease, you’ve ducked, tap, tap, scratched. I’ve even dragged my bat, looked up, and then gone.”
It wasn’t the first run-out drama of the World Cup, with Adil Rashid run out at the nonstriker’s end during England’s loss to Sri Lanka.