Bizarre cricket run-outs

Pakistan batsman Azhar Ali would have been eyeing a 15th Test century but was instead run-out in bizarre fashion against Australia in Abu Dhabi.

A bemused Azhar had to depart for 64 on day three of the second Test after a ball he thought he had dispatched for four actually stopped a couple of feet short of the boundary rope.

As Azhar and Asad Shafiq stood chatting mid-pitch, Mitchell Starc threw the ball to Australia captain Tim Paine, who whipped off the bails before either Pakistan batsman could grasp what was unfolding.

Here, Press Association Sport looks at four other unorthodox run-outs:

Ian Bell

Misbah-ul-Haq

Amit Mishra

Peter Nevill

Of the batsmen who have featured on this list, Nevill is perhaps the only one who escapes any blame. Dwayne Bravo was taking centre stage in a Melbourne derby in the 2015/16 Big Bash League, and looked to heave Stars leg-spinner Adam Zampa down the ground. The Renegades batsman connected with a full toss that first ricocheted off non-striker Nevill’s bat before pin-balling off Zampa’s face and on to the stumps. Nevill’s immediate concern was not that he had been run-out while backing up but for the bowler, who received immediate treatment but ultimately escaped injury for his inadvertent heroics.