'I would have done things differently': Agha on controversial run-out

Pakistan batter Salman Ali Agha said he "would have done things differently" if he were in Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz's position regarding the much-discussed run-out incident that reignited debate over "sportsmanship" during the second match of the three-match ODI series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.

The incident occurred in the 39th over of Pakistan's innings when Agha was run out in unusual fashion by Mehidy, leaving the Pakistan batter visibly frustrated.

It happened when Mohammad Rizwan pushed the ball back towards the bowler off Mehidy's delivery, with the ball travelling towards Agha at the non-striker's end. As the spinner moved forward to collect it, the two briefly got tangled while attempting to gather the ball.

With Agha still well outside the crease, both tried to pick up the ball. Mehidy was the first to it and quickly turned to break the stumps with an underarm throw.

Agha immediately threw his arms up in frustration as on-field umpire Tanvir Ahmed referred the decision upstairs following Bangladesh's appeal. Kumar Dharmasena, the third umpire, adjudged the batter out after confirming that Agha was outside the crease when the wicket was broken.

The dismissal ended a 109-run fourth-wicket partnership between Agha and Rizwan that had steadied Pakistan after they lost three wickets for 18 runs following a 103-run opening stand. Agha departed for 64 off 62 balls.

"I mean, I'm sure everyone has seen it. It was just heat-of-the-moment stuff," Agha said when asked about his reaction to the incident after the match, which Pakistan won by 128 runs under the DLS method.

"If you ask me what I would have done, I would have done things differently. But whatever happened after that was just the heat of the moment," he said, acknowledging that Mehidy acted within the laws of the game but said he personally would have preferred a different approach.

"It is within the law and I'm someone who always wants to follow the law," he said. "But when we talk about sportsman spirit, I think that should be up there no matter what the situation. According to the law what he has done is fine, and if he thinks it is right then it is right. But from my perspective, I would have done things differently. I would have gone for sportsman spirit."

Explaining the moment from his perspective, Agha said he believed the ball had already struck him and therefore he had no intention of attempting a run.

"It hit my pad and then my back. So I thought you can't really get out because the ball had already hit my pad and my back. I was just trying to give him the ball back because I wasn't looking for a run or anything like that. I was just trying to return the ball to him, but he probably had a different thought," he said.

"At the same time I was thinking that if the ball passed through, because I wasn't in his way, I still would not have gone for the run for sure," he said.

Agha, who captained Pakistan in the last T20 World Cup, also insisted that he and his teammates would not attempt such a dismissal in the future. "No, never. We haven't done that previously and we would never do that in the future," he said.

The right-hander was also asked about the heated exchange between him and Miraz immediately after the run-out but avoided going into details. "I can't remember exactly what I was saying and I can't remember what he was saying.

"I'm sure I didn't say nice things and I'm also sure he didn't say nice things. But it was just the heat of the moment. We are fine. I haven't spoken to him yet, but we will. Don't worry, we are fine," he said.