Team India endured a frustrating moment when Axar Patel bowled Steve Smith during the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final in Dubai. During the 14th over, Axar induced an inside edge off Smith’s bat. He bowled fantastic first five balls and it looked like the reward was there. However, the inside edge crawled its way to the base of the off-stump. However, to the agony of India, the bails didn’t come off.
Watch: Steve Smith has luck on his side
It was a moment that left everyone stunned – the ball grazed the stump, but in a bizarre twist, the bails remained stubbornly in place. Steve Smith’s face was a picture of relief as he dodged a bullet, while Axar Patel’s expression was one of dismay. The commentators were quick to pounce on the rarity of such a moment, and social media was soon flooded with replays of the incredible incident. With India seeking revenge for their World Cup final loss to Australia, the semifinal clash was already tense, and this miraculous escape only added to the drama.
It looks Travis Head transferred his “luck” to the Australian captain. The southpaw survived several half chances before he was caught off Varun Chakaravarthy’s bowling as Shubman Gill took his catch.
