Former Pakistan team batter Azhar Ali perfectly timed a delivery for a boundary, which arrived at him at a snail’s pace and was way outside the pitch, in what was a rather hilarious shot to say the least if one would have to describe it.
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The incident took place during the ongoing County Championship Division Two match between Worcestershire and Sussex in the city of Worcester, which had ended in a Draw yesterday (Sunday).
Ali, before going on to smash a century for Worcestershire during the second innings on the final day’s play, left the opposition players perplexed with him hitting a rolling delivery for a Four.
Azhar Ali Hilariously Hits Rolling Delivery For Four During County Match
Batting on 91*, Ali received a freebie which one usually bowls to a four-year-old, albeit this particular one was unintentional. Sussex’s right-arm pacer Henry Crocombe, at the point of delivery stride somehow let the ball slip out of his hands, as the ball gently rolled towards the slip cordon at its own leisurely pace.
The Pakistani batter initially seemed like letting the ball roll towards the slip fielder, and was perhaps seeing the funny side of the bowler’s mistake with his humorous feet trigger movements, as if threatening to hit the ball.
However, as if something snapped within him, the 38-year-old decided to indeed go for the shot, and made no mistake to hit the ball towards the cover region for a cracking boundary.
Crocombe was clearly not amused with Ali going for the hit, but had no say in the matter as the latter was very well within his rights to play the delivery.
Not the first time
The above shot played by Ali was not the first time any batter has cashed on such a mistake committed by a bowler.
Former England batter Jonathan Trott had smashed a boundary the on-side for a Four, when Ravindra Jadeja let the ball slip out of his hands towards the right-side of the pitch, during the fourth Test of England’s tour of India in Nagpur.
Most recently, Australia’s David Warner had smashed a Six off a Mohammed Hafeez delivery which had arrived at him after bouncing twice, during the 2021 T20 World Cup semi-final match.
