NEW DELHI: Cricket is a game of fine margins, and Australia’s Steve Smith had a lucky escape during the ICC Champions Trophy semifinal against India at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday.
In a bizarre moment, an Axar Patel delivery clipped the inside edge of Smith’s bat, deflected onto his pad, and gently rolled onto the stumps, only for the bails to stay intact.
It all happened on the last delivery of India’s 14th over.
The left-arm spinner delivered a good-length ball, which Smith attempted to defend. A thick inside edge saw the ball ricochet off his pad and roll towards the base of the off-stump.
As the Australian batter froze in the moment, the entire stadium held its breath.
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The ball kissed the stump, but miraculously, the bails refused to budge. Smith, fully aware of what had just transpired, watched in disbelief, then breathed a sigh of relief as he survived the scare.
Commentators were quick to point out the rarity of such moments in cricket, with the visuals going viral across social media.
Even Axar Patel looked stunned, unable to believe his misfortune.
The semifinal clash between India and Australia carried high stakes, with India determined to avenge their 2023 World Cup final loss.
The Indian team took to the field wearing black armbands in memory of Mumbai’s legendary spinner Padmakar Shivalkar, who passed away on Monday at 84.
Shivalkar, a domestic cricket stalwart, was widely regarded as one of the finest spinners never to have played for India.
Smith’s lucky break could have been the turning point Australia needed. For now, cricket fans can only marvel at the unpredictable nature of the sport — where even the gentlest touch of the ball on the stumps isn’t always enough to dislodge the bails.
