IND vs AFG: The reason behind India's unusual 5/0 start while chasing

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi inadvertently cost his side five crucial runs during the third ODI against India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai after repeatedly running on the protected area of the pitch.

The incident occurred during the 40th over of Afghanistan’s innings. Shahidi, who was batting brilliantly and went on to score his maiden ODI century, had already been warned multiple times by the on-field umpires for running in the danger area of the pitch. Despite the warnings, he once again ran through the protected zone while completing a single.

As a result, on-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Rohan Pandit penalised Afghanistan under the Laws of Cricket. The single taken by Shahidi was disallowed, and five penalty runs were awarded to India. The decision proved costly for Afghanistan as they looked to post a competitive total against a strong Indian bowling attack.

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According to Law 41.14 of the MCC Laws of Cricket, batters are prohibited from running on the protected area of the pitch, a 5-foot by 2-foot strip located in the centre of the wicket. The law is designed to prevent damage to the surface, which could unfairly affect the contest between bat and ball.

For a first offence, the batting side receives an official warning. Any subsequent infringement by either batter results in a five-run penalty being awarded to the fielding side. Additionally, any runs completed on that delivery are cancelled.

Despite the setback, Shahidi played a captain’s knock and remained the standout performer for Afghanistan. He scored a well-compiled 102, while Azmatullah Omarzai contributed 50 runs. Afghanistan were eventually bowled out for 218 in 44.2 overs. India’s bowling attack was led by Prasidh Krishna, who delivered a match-winning spell of 5/23 in 8.2 overs.

The Men in Blue had already secured the three-match ODI series with victories in the first two games. Indian captain Shubman Gill played a pivotal role in those wins, scoring a half-century in the opening ODI before following it up with a commanding 150 in the second match to help India take an unassailable 2-0 lead.