WATCH, National T20 Cup | Mirza Tahir Baig endures tragic double whammy as he collapses onto stumps
The worst-case scenario any young professional athlete could face in their career is an injury, unless it is piled upon an unfortunate on-field failure. Mirza Tahir Baig became the victim of a gruesome cramp while batting on Saturday that led to him being hit-wicket to add to the pain.
Sialkot managed a paltry total of 119/8 in their second Super Eight encounter in the National T20 Cup, Pakistan's domestic T20 tournament, which was chased down by Abbottabad with ample room to spare. The only positive they could potentially take from the encounter was the performance of young opener Mirza Tahir Baig who top-scored for the side with a 29-ball 38, stroking three boundaries and two maximums in the process. With him at the crease, the side seemed to be on top of the opposition until a devastating incident spelled doom for the team and the player.
Veteran Yasir Shah delivered the second ball of the 12th slightly back of a length and Baig tried to take advantage of the opportunity by rocking back into the crease and pulling the Kookaburra away towards midwicket. However, the 24-year-old had been suffering from cramps in the sweltering heat of Karachi, and as soon as he transferred the weight on his hind foot, his hamstring gave in and Baig collapsed in a heap clutching his thigh. While his bat floated into the air towards the keeper, Baig's arms breached the stumps causing the bails to fall off as he tried to soften his landing onto the deck.
Baig had no choice but to grimace and walk off with pain writ large on his face having been deprived of the opportunity to spearhead forward his team's batting effort.
Mirza Tahir Baig had a bizarre and unfortunate end to his stay at the crease 😳#NationalT20 | #ABTvSKT | #AajaMaidanMein pic.twitter.com/XdB0uXP4Jb
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) December 2, 2023