Rashid Khan (Source: AFP)
One moment between Rashid Khan and Hashmatullah Shahidi caught the attention of the fans in the ongoing India vs Afghanistan third and final ODI at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on June 20.
After winning the toss, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi decided to bat first, hoping to put a challenging total on the board.
However, the decision backfired early as India's fast bowler Prasidh Krishna tore through the top order. Afghanistan found themselves in serious trouble at 36/4, with Rohit Sharma taking the catches for the first three wickets.
The achievement made Rohit and Prasidh only the fourth bowler-fielder pair in ODI history to combine for the first three dismissals of an innings.
Tactical Blunders From The Umpires Cost Afghanistan
A major talking point emerged during the 40th over of the innings that involved Rashid Khan and Hashmatullah Shahidi.
At the end of the previous over, that is the last ball of the 39th over, Shahidi had taken a single off the last ball, which meant he should have been on strike at the start of the next over.
However, when Harsh Dubey came on to bowl, Rashid Khan was allowed to take strike and confusion was seen.
Also Read: Watch- Rashid Khan's Energy Drained Out As Afghanistan Player Walks Off The Field
However, it was later confirmed by the on-field umpires and commentators that the Afghan captain was walking at the centre of the pitch, and he repeated the mistake thrice.
So the umpires gave one warning, but in the second instance, India was awarded 5 penalty runs, and the single was also cancelled with Rashid Khan taking the strike.
Rashid Khan Departs Amid Controversy
The very next ball proved costly for Afghanistan. Harsh Dubey bowled a delivery outside off stump, and Rashid Khan attempted an aggressive shot over the infield.
However, he failed to middle the ball and sliced it towards deep extra cover. Prince Yadav showed excellent agility and dived full length to complete a brilliant catch.
Did Umpires Violate Rules In IND vs AFG 3rd ODI?
It is important to note that the on-field umpires made two mistakes during the match. The first mistake involved Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi; he ran in the protected area of the pitch more than once.
According to ICC and MCC Law 41, a batter who runs on the protected area should first receive a warning. If the player repeats the offence, the batting side should be penalised, and the fielding team should be awarded 5 penalty runs.
Also Read: Prasidh Krishna Creates Never-Seen-Before Record In IND Vs AFG ODIs 2026
"Under ICC and MCC laws (Law 41), walking or running on the 'protected area' (danger area) of the pitch is considered unfair play. The danger zone is an imaginary rectangle running down the middle of the pitch, 2 ft wide, beginning 5 ft from each popping crease."
In this case, Shahidi was warned after the first offence, but the 5-run penalty was only given after his third offence. The penalty should have been applied after the second offence.
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