Exclusive: Maybe, Pakistan were not aware of the rules, says Vengsarkar on free-hit confusion

Vengsarkar said it was the last-over pressure of an Indian-Pakistan clash that probably caused confusion in Babar's team

Rituraj Borkakoty

Published: Mon 24 Oct 2022, 3:21 PM

Last updated: Mon 24 Oct 2022, 4:05 PM

Former Indian captain Dilip Vengsarkar praised Virat Kohli and Dinesh Karthik’s game awareness during the nerve-racking last-over thriller at the ICC T20 World Cup against Pakistan in Melbourne on Sunday.

Kohli played the greatest innings of his life, a majestic 82 off 53 balls, as India chased down 160 in the last ball of the contest.

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But it was Kohli and Dinesh Karthik’s presence of mind and composure in the crunch moment that impressed Vengsarkar, the former chairman of the Indian selection committee.

Kohli and Karthk ran for three after Pakistan spinner Mohammad Nawaz bowled the former off a free hit in the last over.

As the two Indian batsmen completed three runs before the third man fielder could throw the ball back after it hit the stumps, the Pakistan players looked utterly confused.

Captain Babar Azam and his teammates remonstrated with the on-field umpires, asking them to declare it a dead ball.

But as per the cricket laws, runs will be counted even if a batsman gets caught or bowled off a free hit.

Perhaps, it was the pressure of the huge occasion that got the better of the Pakistan players as the Indians remained calm before completing an unforgettable victory in the final ball of the innings.

Vengsarkar, who was a part of many dramatic India-Pakistan matches in his playing days, felt the Indian players handled the pressure better on Sunday.

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“When it’s a free hit, it doesn’t matter whether you are caught in the deep or you are bowled, you can still take runs. They are counted,” Vengsarkar told the Khaleej Times on Monday.

“I am glad that they (Kohli and Karthik) had the presence of mind to run. Everybody knows about the rules of the game.”

Vengsarkar admitted that maybe it was the last-over pressure of an Indian-Pakistan clash that caused confusion in Babar’s team.

“Unfortunately, maybe, Pakistan were not well aware of it (the free hit rules when the batsman is bowled). Or maybe, in that tense situation, they didn’t know what to do.”