The controversy over Fakhar Zaman's, who missed his double century by just 7 runs, run out against South Africa in the second ODI against Pakistan is not willing to die down. His compatriot and former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar also spoke and expressed his grief over his dismissal, which was controversially dubbed 'fake fielding' after the batsman was outwitted by a street-smart Proteas captain Quinton de Kock.
Unhappy with the dismissal, Shoaib targeted the South Africa wicket-keeper batsman on his YouTube channel and said that the way he got Fakhar to run out on the field was against the spirit of the game.
Shoaib said,“What Quinton de Kock did, I wouldn’t call it cheating, but it was not in the good spirit of the game.”
“The spirit of the game was hurt which I didn’t like. Quinton de Kock is a great player and he shouldn’t do it deliberately. Fakhar thought that when the throw was made, it would come to the non-striker’s end and he [De Kock] also made the same gesture,” Akhtar further added.
Akhtar further added he was eager to see Zaman become the only Pak batsman to score two double centuries in ODIs.
“I felt bad because I wanted Fakhar to become the only Pakistani batsman to have two double centuries. If those penalty runs were given to Pakistan, they would have won the game easily. But I was disappointed that the decision wasn’t made then and there. There was no awareness of the game," he said.
In a stiff chase of 342, Zaman's smashed a spectacular 193 but his effort was not enough for Pakistan, as the hosts levelled the series 1-1 with a 22-run win at the Wanderers.
Zaman was run out in the 50th over and replays showed that de Kock tricked Zaman into believing that the throw was going to the non-striker's end.
The South Africa wicketkeeper pointed his finger towards Lungi Ngidi but the ball was, in fact, thrown by Aiden Markram towards the keeper's end and it was a direct hit.
Zaman had slowed down his pace at the end of his second run and could not make it back into his crease.
(With inputs from PTI).
