Pakistani cricket fans and netizens have expressed their support for fast bowler Zaman Khan, who had what seemed like an opportunity to execute a “Mankad rule” against Sri Lanka but chose not to.
In the Super 4 stage match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan during the ongoing Asia Cup 2023, both teams fiercely competed for a spot in the finals.
As Sri Lanka needed six runs off two balls in the last over, on the second-to-last delivery, Sri Lanka’s Matheesha Pathirana, who was at the non-striker’s end, was visibly outside his crease, creating a potential Mankad opportunity for debutant Zaman.
Renowned Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle highlighted the possible Mankad opportunity on his official X (formerly known as Twitter) account and questioned Zaman’s lack of awareness regarding this match-winning moment for the right-arm pacer.
“Shouldn’t Zaman Khan have been alert to the possibility of a run-out at the bowler’s end? Pathirana was outside the crease,” Bhogle commented on his X account.
However, Pakistani netizens have come out in support of Zaman’s decision not to go for the Mankad, emphasizing the spirit of the “gentlemen’s game.”
“We don’t want to win games through this kind of cheating,” one user stated in response to the “missed” Mankad opportunity.
Another social media user named Umar said, “It’s better to lose than to Mankad.”
Meanwhile, another user praised Zaman’s decision to abstain from the Mankad, calling the debutant’s move “brilliant.”
“He [Zaman] knows how to play cricket gracefully,” another user remarked.
“Integrity over Mankad,” Abul Rafay noted.
It’s worth noting that Pakistan batted first and scored 252 runs, thanks to contributions from Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar. During their innings, Sri Lanka appeared to be favorites from the beginning, with their batters displaying mature and sensible play.
Sri Lanka secured a narrow victory by two wickets, effectively ending Pakistan’s journey in the tournament.
Sri Lanka will face India, who have yet to lose a match, in the Asia Cup 2023 final on Sunday at the R.Premadasaka Stadium in Colombo.
