Pakistan’s Agha reprimanded after controversial run out

Pakistan batter Salman Ali Agha has been given an official reprimand for his furious reaction to being run out in Friday’s one-day international victory over Bangladesh in Dhaka.

The 32-year-old angrily threw his helmet and gloves to the ground after opposition skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz ran him out in controversial circumstances in the 39th over.

Agha admitted a level one breach of the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct and accepted the punishment, so there was no official hearing.

Agha was furious after Pakistan team-mate Mohammad Rizwan hit the ball back towards him at the non-striker’s end off Mehidy’s bowling and the pair tangled.

Out of his ground, Agha attempted to pick the ball up to give it to Mehidy, only for the Bangladesh captain to get it first and hit the stumps.

On-field umpire Tanvir Ahmed referred the decision to third umpire Kumar Dharmasena, who gave Agha out.

The Pakistan batsman, who had scored a fine 64 off 62 balls, gestured angrily as he left the field.

“I think sportsman spirit has to be there,” said Agha, echoing similar sentiments to those expressed when England’s Jonny Bairstow was run out by Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s in 2023.

“What he [Mehidy] has done is in the law. I think if he thinks it’s right, it’s right, but if you ask me my perspective, I would have done differently.

“I would have gone for sportsman spirit. We haven’t done this [type of thing] previously. We would never do that in the future as well.”

He was found to have breached Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an international match”.

Agha and Rizwan had put on 109 for the fourth wicket after coming together with Pakistan wobbling at 122-3 after losing three quick wickets.