Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan suffered a brain-fade moment on Wednesday and was run-out in a bizarre manner as he failed to ground his bat during the Asia Cup 2023 opener against Nepal in Multan.
Rizwan was batting fluently on 44 and was in the process of steadying Pakistan's innings when he was dismissed thanks to a direct-hit from Dipendra Singh Airee.
Rizwan gifted his wicket in the 24th over when he played a delivery from leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane towards the cover fielder and set off for a quick single.
The ball went towards Airee who picked it up and threw it towards the non-striker's end and fortunately, got a direct-hit to catch Rizwan short of the crease.
But the Pakistani batter could have made his ground had he grounded his bat, which bizarrely he seemed to have forgot.
Rizwan was guilty of ball-watching and made a schoolboy error which cost him his wicket. The dismissal led to several trolls on social media with fans wondering why Rizwan didn't drag his bat in.
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also commented on the dismissal, offering his point of view in the matter.
"The height of the throw made it harder to evade for Rizwan but for someone who generally dives to make his ground all the time while running between the wickets, this is a rare instance of him ducking for cover and the only reason is that he isn’t wearing his helmet.
"He loves sweeping against spin and no helmet makes it even more bizarre," Ashwin tweeted.
Rizwan's dismissal reduced Pakistan to 111 for 3 in 23.4 overs after they won the toss and elected to bat first at the Multan International Stadium.
