Watch: Australia’s Josh Inglis Controversially Runs Out Afghanistan Star. What Steve Smith Does Next Stuns All
Australia captain Steve Smith’s sportsman spirit during the side’s Champions Trophy 2025 match against Afghanistan on Friday has become a topic of discussion. On the final ball of the 47th over of the Afghanistan innings, Azmatullah Omarzai played a delivery to mid-wicket fielder and took a single. After completing the run, Noor Ahmad, who then reached the striker’s end, walked out of his crease without even wicketkeeper Josh Inglis collecting the ball from the fielder. As Noor left his crease before the throw arrived at striker’s end and the ball could be deemed dead, Inglis clipped off the bails after receiving the throw and appealed for a run-out.
The incident took place at the end of the 47th over of Afghanistan innings during their Champions Trophy match vs Australia.
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1st Semi-Final
| Batting | R | B |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Carey* | 43 | 39 |
| Ben Dwars.. | 3 | 7 |
| Bowling | W/R | O |
|---|---|---|
| Axar Patel | 1/42 | 7.3 |
| Batting | R | B |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Carey* | 43 | 39 |
| Ben Dwars.. | 3 | 7 |
| Bowling | W/R | O |
|---|---|---|
| Axar Patel | 1/42 | 7.3 |
Steven Smith withdraws run-out appeal against Noor Ahmad
AUS
IND
Australia chose to bat.
SL-W
NZ-W
No result
GG-W
UPW-W
GG Women won by 81 runs
ENG-M
SA-M
SA Masters won by 7 wickets (with 11 balls remaining)
The incident occurred in the 47th over when Inglis whipped off the bails when the batter ventured out of the crease before the ball was dead
Steven Smith directs a field change • ICC/Getty Images
Australia captain Steven Smith withdrew an appeal against Noor Ahmad in the 47th over of Afghanistan’s innings, after wicketkeeper Josh Inglis whipped off the bails at the striker’s end to catch Noor out of his ground before the over was called.
Noor had not been attempting a run – he had drifted out of his crease to meet batting partner Azmatullah Omarzai mid-pitch, mistakenly believing that the ball was dead. The ball is live until the umpire calls “over”, however, and umpire Alex Wharf had not yet called.
Replays showed Noor to be well out of his ground, but Smith was quick to signal to the umpires that the appeal should not be considered, despite some enthusiasm from Inglis. Noor had just completed a single after Omarzai struck Nathan Ellis through midwicket and called Noor – the No. 10 batter – through, in order to keep strike for the next over.
Although Afghanistan were not attempting to gain an advantage, the rules of cricket are clear. Run-outs are a viable dismissal until the ball is dead. If Smith had not withdrawn the appeal, Noor would have been ruled out, likely by third umpire Chris Gaffaney.
Noor had been on three off three balls at the time, and went to make six off eight. But of more consequence was the fact that Afghanistan would have been 248 for 9 after 47 overs had Smith not withdrawn the appeal. They were less likely to have hit the further 25 runs they managed if they had only had one wicket in hand. Noor was eventually dismissed off the last ball of the innings.
Australia have in the past upheld appeals against batters ambling out of their crease, even if they were not looking to take a run. Most famously, this occurred in a Test at Lord’s against England in 2023, when Alex Carey underarmed the ball into the stumps after Jonny Bairstow had wandered down the pitch before the ball was deemed dead.
Muthiah Muralidaran had also been dismissed in similar circumstances in a Test in Christchurch in 2006, when he had wandered out of the crease to congratulate Kumar Sangakkara on completing a century before the ball was dead (though that had not been at the end of an over). Brendon McCullum broke the stumps on that occasion, and captain Stephen Fleming upheld the appeal.
In the 2011 Trent Bridge Test, India recalled Ian Bell to the crease after he had been run-out in similar circumstances at the stroke of tea on day three, when he ran a three and proceeded to walk down the pitch and towards the dressing rooms, before the fielder Praveen Kumar had had a chance to throw the ball in from the boundary. India captain MS Dhoni agreed to recall Bell after England captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower approached him during the tea interval with this request.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is a senior writer at ESPNcricinfo. @afidelf
Steve Smith in eye-opening act as Australia reaches semi-finals amid ‘unacceptable’ uproar
Steve Smith has been praised for a brilliant act of sportsmanship that brought back memories of the infamous Ashes drama with Jonny Bairstow during Australia’s rain-affected Champions Trophy clash against Afghanistan. A heavy downpour during Australia’s chase of Afghanistan’s 273 meant the match could not be completed, sending the Aussies through to the semi-finals as serious questions were raised about the drainage at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium and the inadequate measures on hand to deal with the weather.
The Aussies were cruising in their chase, with Travis Head (59no off 40 balls) and Smith (19no off 22 balls) blasting them to 1-109 after just 12.5 overs before heavy rain hit the ground. That came after Sediqullah Atal (85 off 95 balls) and Azmatullah Omarzai (67 off 63 balls) had helped the Afghans post a competitive total after winning the toss and batting first.
That looked like a bad move with paceman Spencer Johnson (2-49 off 10 overs) clean-bowled Rahmanullah Gurbaz off the fifth ball of the innings. Fellow quick Ben Dwarshuis was also solid and claimed a wicket on the final ball of the innings to finish with 3-47. Adam Zampa (2-48) also chimed in with some crucial scalps, while Part-time spinners Glenn Maxwell (1-28 off six) and Matt Short (0-21 off seven) helped slow down the run rate during the middle overs.
Afghanistan needed to beat Australia to ensure a spot in the semi-finals but now have to rely on England thrashing South Africa to have any hope. Rain wrecked any chance of a result but criticism is being levelled at cricket officials in Pakistan and the drainage at the recently redeveloped ground, with many suggesting that Australia should have at least been able to bat for the 20 overs necessary for a result under the DRS method.
Huge puddles formed in the outfield, and even once the rain stopped, ground staff were unable to remove enough water from the surface for the game to restart. It emerged that only one Super Sopper was on hand to try and clear the water and many described the use of covers to protect the ground as shambolic after large swathes of the outfield were left exposed to the elements. Many noted that there was only about one hour of rain and that officials should have been able to deal with it.
There are no reserve days for weather in the Champions Trophy tournament until the knockout stage, meaning Australia have qualified for the last-four with just one win and two wash-outs. Friday night’s match against Afghanistan was being touted as a virtual quarter-final but the way it ended sparked plenty of backlash, with fans labelling it “embarrassing” and “unacceptable” for a major tournament.
There was no rain since hour, the match is called off due to wet-outfield. This is quite embarrassing and shameful, this game should have been completed. I wonder why they didn’t arrange full covers for the ground in such a big tournament. #AFGvAUS #AUSvsAFG pic.twitter.com/GEFXHu5VJc
— Ahmad Haseeb (@iamAhmadhaseeb) February 28, 2025
Such a poor drainage system in the stadium.
These are the basic facilities which should be in the stadium hosting an ICC event.
— Freddy (@SKULSHADY) February 28, 2025
RAIN PLAYS SPOILSPORT IN CHAMPIONS TROPHY! 🏆⛈️
AUS vs SA – Abandoned.
PAK vs BAN – Abandoned.
AUS vs AFG – No Result.
3 matches washed out due to rain & outfield issues! 😳 pic.twitter.com/drdad1g78b
— Sports World 🏏⚽. (@ShamimSports) February 28, 2025
40 mins of rain turns #CT2025 #AUSvAFG match into a swamp. @ICC & @TheRealPCB used 1 super sopper & didn’t cover the ground. Drainage so bad the game’s abandoned. Champions Trophy venue can’t handle a shower? Unacceptable!
— Tamim Ali Shah (@tamimalishah__) February 28, 2025
Why on earth didn’t they invest in proper ground covers? This is beyond frustrating…ughhh
The #AFGvsAUS match is called off because of rain. If only I had known sooner, I would have gladly provided a cover myself #ChampionsTrophy2025
— Wazhma Ayoubi 🇦🇫 (@WazhmaAyoubi) February 28, 2025
Only one super sooper and match has been called off. Rain stopped at 7:45 pm and cut off time was 10:11. This tournament has been disastrous. 12 Billion Rupees 🤣🤣🤣🤣#AFGvsAUS#ChampionsTrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/sTQzMc8HPZ
— Mustafa (@mustafamasood0) February 28, 2025
More drama was avoided towards the end of Afghanistan’s innings after a classy moment from Smith, when the Aussie captain withdrew an appeal for the run-out of Noor Ahmad. The tail-ender began walking down the pitch to speak with his teammate at the end of the 47th over when wicketkeeper Josh Inglis whipped off the bails and caught him out of his crease.
The incident was eerily similar to the ‘spirit of cricket’ Ashes controversy with England batter Bairstow that sparked pandemonium at Lord’s in 2023. But this time Smith decided to withdraw Australia’s appeal, even though Noor was out of his crease and would have been given out under the letter of the law because the over wasn’t officially completed.
Afghanistan went on to make 25 more runs in the last three overs before being dismissed for 273 on the final ball of the innings. Those runs could have proven crucial but the rain ultimately meant they counted for little in the grand scheme of things. But Smith’s reputation around the cricket world certainly took a positive spin, as viewers praised the Aussie captain’s stunning act of sportsmanship to withdraw the appeal.
True sportsmanship from the Aussie skipper! 🤝🇦🇺
Josh Inglis runs out Noor Ahmad after he left the crease on the last ball of the over, but Steve Smith shows great spirit by withdrawing the appeal! 👏#SteveSmith #NoorAhmad #AUSvAFG #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/W3Uj2rrtsk
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) February 28, 2025
Steve Smith showed great sportsmanship when an Afghanistan player left the crease before the ball reached the keeper. Though the umpires wanted to check, Smith asked them to cancel the appeal. 👏 ❤️ #AUSvAFG #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/S669e7yMbw
— Syed Saad (@s_saad2004) February 28, 2025
with AAP
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