Saud Shakeel becomes 1st Pakistani cricketer to be 'timed out'
What's the story
In a rare incident, Saud Shakeel has written his name in the cricket history by becoming the first Pakistani cricketer to be dismissed for being "timed out."
The bizarre incident happened during the President's Trophy final in Rawalpindi, which was played at night due to Ramadan.
The State Bank of Pakistan's number five batter couldn't reach the crease in time after captain Umar Amin and Fawad Alam were dismissed in quick succession by Pakistan Television's pace bowler.
Circumstances
What led to Shakeel's dismissal?
Though Shakeel eventually made his way to the field after the quick dismissals, the on-field umpire ruled him 'timed out.'
This incident is a major one in cricket history as it is only the ninth instance of a player being timed out.
The last notable case was when Angelo Mathews faced a similar fate during an ODI World Cup match against Bangladesh in 2023.
Rule explained
Understanding the 'timed out' rule in cricket
The 'timed out' rule is one of the 10 modes of dismissals in cricket, officially added to the Laws of Cricket in 1980.
As per Law 40.1.1, "After the fall of a wicket or the retirement of a batter, the incoming batter must be ready to receive the ball within three minutes."
If not, then an incoming batter can be ruled out as 'Timed Out.'
Cricket history
Shakeel's dismissal and its historical significance
Shakeel's dismissal is a landmark as it is the first such dismissal in First-Class cricket since 2017-18 and only the seventh overall.
Apart from Mathews's controversial dismissal during the 2023 World Cup, Ghana's Godfred Bakiweyem is the only other cricketer to have been timed out in international cricket.
This rare occurrence adds another layer of intrigue to an already unique tournament scheduled at night to accommodate Muslim players observing Ramadan.