On day three of the second Australia vs Pakistan Test, wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan played a crucial knock of 42, to take the visitors close to Australia’s score or 318. His valiant effort came at a time when Pakistan was in trouble and was looking at conceding a big lead, but that was not to be, due to Rizwan’s valiant knock.
But instead of his knock, his prolonged injury time-out became the talking point. The batsman was hit on the back by a Pat Cummins short ball, and the play was stopped for a good amount of time. The commentary team for the match — Mark Waugh, Ian Smith, and Michael Vaughan fumed at the delay.
“That’s just part of batting, isn’t it?” Waugh was quoted as saying by Fox Cricket.
“What’s the physio going to do, he’s been hit on the back?
“He’s just got to say ‘No, off’. You can’t stop the game for a ball hitting a player on the back, surely.”
“We talk about over rates and value for money and entertainment … it’s ridiculous.”
“12 overs were lost yesterday, and that gets put to one side and nobody bats an eyelid,” Michael Vaughan replied. Smith, on the other hand, that it was disrespectful to the 20000 MCG crowds, who wanted to witness some action.
Editors pick
