Watch: In the first Test of the two-match series, in Karachi, New Zealand were awarded five penalty runs as the ball hit the helmet behind Pakistan wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed.
After bowling out Pakistan for 438, New Zealand reached 165-0 at stumps on the second day, and 440-6 on the third. When play resumed on the fourth day, Kane Williamson was on 105 and Ish Sodhi on one.
Williamson and Sodhi had taken New Zealand to 486-6 (they led by 48 at this point) when Nauman Ali came to bowl his 52nd over. By this point, Pakistan had fallen back to a defensive stance, and left-arm finger-spinner Nauman was bowling outside the leg-stump from over the wicket to the right-handed Williamson.
Nauman stuck to the plan for the first two balls. The third ball – that pitched outside leg as well – Williamson stretched his left foot out as much as possible (he even knelt on his right leg in the process), but could still not reach the line of the ball. Behind the stumps, Sarfaraz Ahmed had been standing on the leg-side: the ball sped between his legs and ricocheted off the helmet placed behind him.
“Maybe a concussion protocol?” quipped Simon Doull on air.
Shan Masood chased the ball in vain as it sped past the ropes. However, the five runs were all New Zealand got from the ball, in accordance with Law 28.3.3, which mentions that, apart from the five penalty runs, “the umpire shall disallow all runs to the batting side.”
Sodhi eventually fell for 65, his highest Test score, after helping Williamson add 159 for the seventh wicket. Williamson declared on 612-9, with a 174-run lead, as soon as he reached his fifth double-hundred in Test cricket.
Watch the incident here:
“We have to stop for a concussion protocol?” 🤔
Five penalty runs to New Zealand after the ball hits the helmet 🪖#PAKvNZ | #TayyariKiwiHai pic.twitter.com/JtFelmUgal
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) December 29, 2022
