Pakistan endured an embarrassing moment of chaos in the field during Bangladesh’s chase in their Asia Cup Super 4s clash on Thursday, when a straightforward run-out chance went begging in the fifth over. Shaheen Afridi had just started a new spell when Bangladesh were 23/1.Towhid Hridoy cut his strike to backward point. Saim Ayub dived brilliantly to stop the ball and threw it to the bowler’s end, where Saif Hassan was stranded almost halfway down the pitch. But no one was backing up. The fielder at the receiver’s end then failed to collect cleanly, allowing Saif to run back to safety.Ayub, who had done all the hard work, looked visibly frustrated. Pakistan skipper Salman Agha too, was not impressed with the way his team let an easy wicket chance slip in this must win match.Watch the hilarious mix up here The grand escape, however, lasted just one delivery. On the very next ball, Hridoy went for a reckless hit across the line and mistimed it poorly. This time, Ayub made no mistake, as settled under it to complete the catch. Shaheen had his second wicket and finally something to smile about after the confusion of the previous delivery. Earlier in the match, Pakistan’s batting line-up faltered again under pressure. Bangladesh’s bowlers Taskin Ahmed (3/28), Mustafizur Rahman (1/33) and Rishad Hossain (2/18) controlled the innings as Pakistan ended at 135 for eight. Sahibzada Farhan (4) became Taskin’s 100th T20I wicket, while Saim Ayub’s run of low scores continued with his fourth duck. Fakhar Zaman (13), Hussain Talat (3) and Salman Ali Agha (19) also fell cheaply.
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But even that recovery was quickly overshadowed by the bizarre run-out blunder, as this moment summed up Pakistan’s struggles in this high-stakes encounter.
