India’s middle-order batter Tilak Varma got run out most bizarrely during the third T20I against the West Indies in Indore. Both he and his partner, Axar Patel, wrongly believed that the latter had scored a boundary against Guadakesh Moti in the 17th over and simply stopped running. But the Windies players were clever to it and attempted a run-out on both ends, and the third umpire found Tilak well short.
Motie bowled a full-toss well down the leg-side, and Axar flicked it away powerfully. They took the single as usual but started walking back for a chat instead, trying for the double, believing it had gone for a four. They even did a fist-bump, and while Axar was going back to the striker’s end, the ball came back and wicketkeeper Shai Hope
tried a run-out at his end before throwing the ball to Motie.
As the third umpire’s replays showed, Axar had just managed to walk back into his crease but as Motie disloged the bails, Tilak was nowhere near it. Axar had a wry smile on his face as the decision came up but head coach Gautam Gambhir looked far from happy in the dug-out.
Boundary-னு நினைச்சு Wicket-ஐ பறிகொடுத்துட்டாரு Tilak Varma🫠
📺 தொடர்ந்து காணுங்கள் | #INDvWI 👉 3rd T20I | JioHotstar & Star Sports 1 தமிழில்
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Not the first time it has happened
During the 2011 Trent Bridge Test between India and England, Ian Bell was run out similarly. Believing his partner Eoin Morgan’s shot had crossed the boundary for a four, Bell left his crease for a chat.
However, the ball remained in play. India’s fielders returned the ball to the pitch, removing the bails to run Bell out. While the dismissal was legally valid, the then Indian captain MS Dhoni famously withdrew the appeal during the tea break, and allowed Bell to resume his innings.
Then, during the 2018 Abu Dhabi Test between Pakistan and Australia, Pakistani batter Azhar Ali edged a delivery and, assuming it had reached the boundary, walked to the middle of the pitch to chat with Asad Shafiq. Unbeknownst to them, Mitchell Starc stopped the ball just inside the rope.
Starc threw the ball to wicketkeeper Tim Paine, who promptly dislodged the bails. Since the ball was still live, Azhar Ali was correctly given out, paying a heavy price for his lapse in concentration.
