There debate around the 'spirt of the game' has reignited after Afghanistan pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi ran out Shadab Khan at the non-striker's end in the 50th over of the innings. Even though the pacer was well within the laws of the game and ran the batter out for stealing extra inches which tends to have a decisive impact in a match, a few Pakistani players and fans thought that the their team had been wronged.
Eventually though Pakistan did go on to win the match as Naseem Shah hit a couple of boundaries to finish off a close game as the Men in Green held on to a 1-wicket win to claim the series with a match to go. However, in the aftermatch of the debate about Spirit of Game a video from the 1st ODI of the same series went viral on social media in which Pakistan batters Imam-ul-Haq and Iftikhar Ahmed retracting a run after they realised that Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan had assumed that the ball is dead.
The said incident happened in the 21st over of the Pakistan innings in the 1st ODI on August 22. While Iftikhar was on strike in this over being bowled by Rashid, the striker played it back to the bowler who picked it up and threw it to Hashmatullah Shahidi at mid wicket. However, the batters changed ends after the leggie had thrown the ball away. Later they realised that since the ball had been hit back to the bowler, Rashid assumed that it ceased to be in play which is why he gave the ball away to his teammate.
The video of the incident shows Imam even raising his hand up in apology despite having the legal right to complete that run.
Talking about this particular game, Pakistan made 201 before bowling Afghanistan out for 59, winning the match by 142 runs.