What Quinton de Kock did was not in the good spirit of the game: Shoaib Akhtar

Fakhar Zaman’s run out in the second ODI between South Africa and Pakistan has now sparked a debate in the cricketing world. In a gesture that distracted Fakhar Zaman, South African wicketkeeper Quinton De Kock had apparently given the impression to Zaman that the fielder was going to throw the ball to the non-striker’s end. But the fielder threw the ball to the striker’s end and Zaman was caught short of the crease.

And now, former Pakistan fast bowler and cricketing legend Shoaib Akhtar has offered his opinion on Zaman’s run out. Akhtar opined that even though what De Kock did was not in the spirit of the game, it cannot be labeled as cheating.

Akhtar added that the spirit of the game was compromised, and he did not like that. Adding that De Kock is a ‘great kid’, the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ opined that a cricketer should not do such an act deliberately.

“What Quinton de Kock did, I wouldn’t call it cheating, but it was not in the good spirit of the game. The spirit of the game was hurt, which I didn’t like. Quinton de Kock is a great kid, and he shouldn’t do it deliberately. Fakhar thought that when the throw was made, it would come to the non-striker’s end, and he (Quinton) also made the same gesture,” said Akhtar on his YouTube Channel.

In fact, Akhtar had even asked the opinion of the fans regarding the incident. You can see Akhtar’s tweet below.

Was this run out by @QuinnyDeKock69 against the spirit of the game?
I'd leave it for you guys to decide. 🤐#PAKvSA

— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) April 4, 2021

“There was no awareness of the game,” opines Shoaib Akhtar

Shoaib Akhtar further stated that he was disappointed because he wanted Fakhar Zaman to become the only Pakistan cricketer to score two double centuries. Akhtar concluded by stating that the awareness of the game was missing.

“I felt bad because I wanted Fakhar to become the only Pakistani batsman to have two double centuries. If those penalty runs were given to Pakistan, they would have won the game easily. But I was disappointed that the decision wasn’t made then and there. There was no awareness of the game,” concluded Akhtar.

South Africa beat Pakistan in the second ODI by 17 runs to level the three-match ODI series 1-1. Fakhar Zaman top-scored in the match and blasted 193 off 155 deliveries.