New Delhi: Yasir Shah, who returned to Pakistan’s Test side after almost a year, dismissed Kusal Mendis with a ball that looked similar to Shane Warne’s ‘ball of the century’. On day 3 of the first Test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, Yasir Shah bowled a leg spin delivery which pitched outside the leg stump but ended up hitting the off stump to the right-handed Kusal Mendis.
Mendis looked in good control as he was batting at 76*(125) when Shah produced Shane Warne-like magic on the cricket field. It was an important wicket for Pakistan as Sri Lanka was leading by 182 runs and Mendis was playing well to take this lead ahead. Shah ended up taking 3 wickets in the inning, while Sri Lanka managed to put 337 on board to give a target of 342 to Pakistan.
Warne produced the ‘ball of the century’ in the first Test in the 1993 Ashes. He bowled his first delivery in the test, which landed wide outside the leg stump but ended up hitting Mike Gatting’s off stump. Late Shane Warne was an admirer of Shah’s bowling and there could not have been a better way to give a tribute to the Australian legend.
Pakistan cricket fans took on Twitter to appreciate and congratulate Shah for the ‘magical’ delivery.
Ball of the century candidate❓
ABSOLUTE MAGIC FROM YASIR SHAH! ?#TheGreenArmy | #PAKvSL pic.twitter.com/d0P2PTp8Sq
— The Green Army (@TheGreenArmyy) July 18, 2022
Brilliant ball from Yasir Shah earlier today. Brought back memories of the great Shane Warne #Cricket #SLvPAK pic.twitter.com/FVfQv8GQ1x
— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) July 18, 2022
A fan shared a video of Yasir Shah’s delivery to England’d Garry Ballance, which turned in a similar fashion.
Yasir Shah Bowl spun a lot? I’ve seen this before dw! @Shah64Y #SLvPAK pic.twitter.com/Cac7fYnKC3
— Danish 2.0 ?? (@danny_affc) July 18, 2022
Spectacular from Yasir Shah! ?#pitchedoutsidelegandhittopofoff https://t.co/TzkNkhtiZW
— Mike Haysman (@MikeHaysman) July 18, 2022
Cricket fans were also sharing the bowler’s stats in Test cricket.
Yasir Shah goes past the great Abdul Qadir and is now second on the list of Pakistan spinners with most Test wickets ?#SLvPAK #YasirShah pic.twitter.com/KwWizWiRKG
— Cricket Pakistan (@cricketpakcompk) July 16, 2022
Peak Yasir Shah was something else. pic.twitter.com/9EYukshbjU
— Team Shaheen Afridi (@Team_Shaheen_) July 18, 2022
After day 3, Sri Lanka posted 329/9 as Oshada Fernando scored 64(125), Mendis hit 76(126) and Dinesh Chandimal scored 86*(121). Chandimal then went on to score 94* before Naseem Shah bowled Prabath Jayasuriya on Day 4.
