Pakistan and New Zealand are currently fighting it off in their first Test match at the National Stadium in Karachi. The pitch has not offered a lot for the bowlers and has seen over 1000 runs scored in the first innings. While the criticism regarding the curation of the surface has once again reignited, a bizarre incident has taken the internet by storm.
During the match, a delivery bowled by Nauman Ali missed the batter and the wicketkeeper and hit the helmet. Ali attempted to bowl the delivery in a rough patch outside the leg stump, and the batter, Kane Williamson, attempted but failed to pad it. As a result, the Blackcaps were awarded five penalty runs. As per the rules, the batting team is awarded five runs if the ball hits any obstruction on the field of play.
Here is the video
5 penalty runs for New Zealand!!!!pic.twitter.com/VBqruiHeQt
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 29, 2022
The incident has ignited a storm on Twitter. Fans have been trolling Pakistan for the pitch and have said that even the helmet is scoring runs on this wicket. “Helmet bhi run maar ra he iss pitch par. (Even the helmet is scoring runs on this pitch),” a user wrote. “Helmet playing better than Pakistan,” wrote another. “500 run de diye extra 5 se kya hi fark padega Pakistan ko,” wrote a third.
In the meantime, the game is headed towards a draw. Pakistan scored 438 runs in their first innings, with Babar Azam (161 runs in 280 balls) and Agha Salman (103 runs in 155 balls) each scoring a century.
In the first Kiwi innings, they have scored 596 runs scored so far. Captain Kane Williamson and Tom Latham have already completed their century, while Devon Conway and Ish Sodhi scored half-centuries each. To obtain a result in this match will be very difficult, but each team will look to attack and get a result in their favour.
Here is how Twitter reacted to Pakistan’s penalty runs
#PAKvNZ pic.twitter.com/nQR3PzLyNL
— Impact_ÍÑLÍÑ? (@well_left_for_4) December 29, 2022
— RAVI TEJA (@RAVITEJ67564831) December 29, 2022
— King Kohli ??? (@Virat_popa) December 29, 2022
Helmet bhi run maar ra he iss pitch par
— Ayush Agarwal (@Ayush_agarwal98) December 29, 2022
Helmet playing better than Pakistan ?
— Thunderbird ??? ?? (@SaicharanVenka2) December 29, 2022
A pitch where anybody can make century
— Biswajit Biswas (@biswajit115rcc) December 29, 2022
500 run de diye extra 5 se kya hi fark padega Pakistan ko
— ?? (@dtsaae) December 29, 2022
Well played helmet
— ???????? ?? (@SIK__AND__AR) December 29, 2022
Cricket in Pakistan is the worst.
— ?E???? (@9000Target) December 29, 2022
New Zealand going to win this match surly
Look at rough area and Pakistan hv lot of left handers— CricFan (@Tamil_CricFan) December 29, 2022