The skipper of the Pakistan international cricket team Babar Azam was close to his best yet again during Pakistan's emphatic win over West Indies in the second of their three-match ODI series in Multan on Friday, May 10. But in a moment of madness, the captain cost his team five penalty points during the West Indies' chase of 276 runs.
During the match, Babar was caught using one of Mohammad Rizwan's wicketkeeping gloves to collect a ball and the bizarre incident was deemed 'illegal fielding' by the on-field umpires. His offence was penalised with five penalty runs that were awarded to West Indies during their chase at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
The incident took place in the 29th over of the West Indies chase in the 2nd ODI. Babar can be seen collecting a ball behind the stumps while wearing Rizwan's wicketkeeper gloves.
According to the Laws of Cricket, '28.1 Protective Equipment' No fielder other than the wicket-keeper shall be permitted to wear gloves or external leg guards. In addition, protection for the hand or fingers may be worn only with the consent of the umpires.
However, this goof-up by Babar did not make much of a difference to the match as the hosts, led by medium-pacer Mohammad Nawaz's four wickets for just 19 runs, ensured that Pakistan sealed a 120-run victory, bowling out West Indies for just 155 in the 34th over. It was also enough to ensure a 2-0 unbeatable lead in their three-match series.
Babar began the innings and led his team from the front yet again, with 77 runs in 93 balls as he stitched his fourth successive 100-plus partnership with Imam-ul-Haq to help Pakistan post 275 on the board in 50 overs. Babar followed up his record-breaking 100 in the first ODI wherein he inspired Pakistan's chase of 306, with a half-century in the 2nd ODI.
Babar's half-century added another world record to his name. He has now his ninth-consecutive fifty-plus score in men's international cricket, which is now the longest streak for any batter. Earlier, in the first match, Babar went past former India captain Virat Kohli when he reached the 1000-run mark as the skipper of Pakistan in only 13 games.
