Shocking! Saud Shakeel Becomes First Pakistan Player to be Timed Out After Falling Asleep

The inability of the Pakistani players to win a single match at the Champions Trophy 2025 event left the spectators unimpressed. The season is still ongoing, though, and some of Pakistan's best players are still playing domestic cricket after losing at the ICC tournament.

The President's Trophy grade 1, which includes some of the top players in the country, is the final competition held in the country. The gifted left-handed batsman Saud Shakeel is one of the batting studs competing in this first-class tournament. In the final game, he is representing the State Bank of Pakistan versus Pakistan Television. Shakeel was supposed to bat at number five, however he ended up becoming the first hitter from Pakistan to be timed out and not get to face a delivery throughout the game.

Saud Shakeel Makes Unwanted History:

Saud Shakeel! pic.twitter.com/fDVNlhNq6g

— RVCJ Media (@RVCJ_FB) March 6, 2025

The star after allegedly dozing off his opportunity to reach the crease, Pakistani batsman Saud Shakeel, who scored a fifty against India in the current ICC Champions Trophy, was timed out on Tuesday, March 4. In the President's Cup Grade 1 First-Class tournament, Shakeel was scheduled to bat at number five for State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) against Pakistan Television (PTV). The unfortunate situation of Pakistani cricket, which is always being criticized, is further compounded by this episode.

Saud Shakeel, who was slated to bat at No. 5, failed to reach the crease in the three minutes given after successive wickets fell. The umpires dismissed PTV skipper Amad Butt after he promptly appealed. Reports claim that Shakeel dozed off and missed his chance to bat in time. He now holds the unfortunate distinction of being the first Pakistani and seventh hitter in first-class cricket history to be timed out.

The 2023 ODI World Cup match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka was the last occasion spectators saw a batter get timed out in competitive cricket. Legendary all-rounder Angelo Mathews of Sri Lanka was the batter who was removed in this manner due to an issue with his helmet's strap. Shakib Al Hasan, the captain of Bangladesh at the time, appealed this to the on-field referees. One of the most contentious dismissals in cricket history, this one sparked intense discussion among cricket fans. 

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