‘What was he doing?’: Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Nawaz accused of lacking match awareness

Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Nawaz has been accused of lacking match awareness following a bizarre dismissal in the T20 World Cup.

Muhammad Wasim of Pakistan. Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images

Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has been accused of lacking match awareness following an unusual dismissal during Thursday evening’s T20 World Cup victory over South Africa at the SCG.

The Pakistanis were 4/95 in the 13th over when Proteas spinner Tabraiz Shamsi trapped Nawaz (28 off 22 balls) on the front pad, appealing for LBW.

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After umpire Chris Gaffaney raised the dreaded finger, Nawaz was also run out from a direct hit by South Africa’s Lungi Ngidi at short third man.

The 28-year-old, fuming at teammate Iftikhar Ahmed for sending him back, marched off the field in disgust, presumably believing he had been run out.

But replays showed that Nawaz edged the ball onto his front pad, meaning the LBW decision would have been overturned if he had called for a review.

And because the run out took place after Gaffaney awarded the dismissal, it would have been deemed a deal ball, meaning Nawaz survives.

Tabraiz Shamsi celebrates dismissing Mohammad Nawaz. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Mohammad Nawaz would have been not out if he had reviewed the decision👀#T20WorldCup#PAKvSApic.twitter.com/NF5n2hkKmN

— Cricket Pakistan (@cricketpakcompk) November 3, 2022

The ICC Playing Conditions state: “If following a Player Review request, an original decision of Out is changed to Not out, then the ball is still deemed to have become dead when the original decision was made.”

Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle tweeted: “That has to be among the stranger dismissals I have seen.

“Can understand Nawaz not realising the umpire had given him out lbw but Iftikhar would have known. Or did he miss it too? A review would have saved the batter.”

The Nawaz dismissal was a weird one. The 1st decision stands- even though it was wrong. Cannot be given run out. Unfortunately if he had waited and asked for DRS,he would have been saved. #PAKvsSA

— Abhinav Mukund (@mukundabhinav) November 3, 2022

Why did Nawaz not review that???? That's poor game awareness!!!

— Humayoun Ahmed Khan (@HumayounAK) November 3, 2022

Muhammad Nawaz, what was he doing there? Didn’t review that one with the ball clearly hitting the bat first and then the pad.

— Rahul Rawat (@rawatrahul9) November 3, 2022

Nawaz’s dismissal brought all-rounder Shadab Khan to the crease, who proceeded to smack the second-fastest fifty by a Pakistani in men’s T20I history, reaching the milestone in just 20 deliveries.

Pakistan mustered 9/185 from their 20 overs with South Africa ultimately losing the rain-affected contest by 33 runs via the DLS Method.

The Pakistanis will next face Bangladesh at Adelaide Oval on Sunday afternoon, with the first ball scheduled for 3pm AEDT.