In a remarkable display of sportsmanship, Australia captain Steven Smith chose to withdraw an appeal against Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad during the 47th over of their innings. The incident occurred when wicketkeeper Josh Inglis dislodged the bails at the striker’s end, catching Noor out of his crease before the over was officially called.
Noor was not attempting a run at the time; instead, he had stepped out of his crease to meet batting partner Azmatullah Omarzai mid-pitch, mistakenly assuming the ball was dead. However, according to cricket laws, the ball remains live until the umpire signals “over.” In this case, umpire Alex Wharf had yet to make the call.
Despite clear video evidence showing Noor well outside his crease, Smith immediately signaled to the umpires that the appeal should not stand, overriding the enthusiasm of Inglis. The appeal, if upheld, would have seen Noor dismissed by third umpire Chris Gaffaney. At that moment, Noor had scored three runs off three balls and went on to make six off eight. More significantly, had Smith upheld the appeal, Afghanistan would have been reduced to 248 for 9 at the end of the 47th over, potentially limiting their total. Noor was eventually dismissed on the last ball of the innings, but his presence contributed to Afghanistan adding 25 more runs.
Cricket’s laws are clear: a batter can be run out until the ball is officially deemed dead. However, in cases where no advantage is being sought, captains have occasionally chosen to withdraw appeals in the spirit of the game. Australia, in contrast, has historically maintained appeals in similar situations. A notable instance occurred during the 2023 Ashes series at Lord’s when Alex Carey stumped Jonny Bairstow after he wandered out of his crease before the ball was called dead.
Similar incidents have taken place throughout cricket history. In 2006, Sri Lanka’s Muthiah Muralidaran was run out in a Test against New Zealand after stepping out of his crease to congratulate Kumar Sangakkara on his century. Brendon McCullum executed the dismissal, and then-captain Stephen Fleming upheld the appeal. In another instance during the 2011 Trent Bridge Test, India initially ran out Ian Bell just before the tea break after he assumed the ball was dead. However, after discussions between England captain Andrew Strauss and India’s MS Dhoni, Bell was recalled in a gesture of goodwill.
Smith’s decision to withdraw the appeal against Noor Ahmad stands as a testament to sportsmanship, highlighting the balance between competitive spirit and fair play. His call ensured the game was played in the right spirit, reinforcing cricket’s longstanding ethos of integrity and respect.