March 6, 2025 — Pakistani batter Saud Shakeel has etched his name in cricket history as the seventh player in first-class cricket to be dismissed for being timed out. The unusual dismissal occurred on day two of the President’s Trophy final, Pakistan’s premier domestic first-class competition.

Playing for State Bank of Pakistan, Saud Shakeel found himself unprepared after two quick wickets fell in successive deliveries. When captain Amad Butt of PTV appealed, the umpires ruled that Saud Shakeel had not been ready to face the delivery within the required three minutes, resulting in his rare dismissal.

ESPNcricinfo‘s Pakistan correspondent Danyal Rasool explained that the swift fall of wickets left Saud Shakeel unprepared. “He arrived at the crease to face the delivery, but Butt appealed, and the umpires agreed he had not been ready within three minutes,” Rasool reported.

Saud Shakeel dismissal is particularly notable as it’s only the seventh instance of a timed-out dismissal in first-class cricket. The most recent such dismissal at the international level occurred during Sri Lanka’s 2023 World Cup match against Bangladesh, when Angelo Mathews became the first and only cricketer to be dismissed in this manner during an international match.

The President’s Trophy final has been unusual in more ways than one after Saud Shakeel incident. Due to Ramadan, the holy month when devout Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) scheduled the entire tournament to be played at night. Matches ran from 7:30 pm to 2:30 am, with tea and dinner breaks between sessions.

His dismissal was part of a dramatic collapse for State Bank of Pakistan. After Umar Amin and Fawad Alam fell to fast bowler Muhammad Shahzad within two deliveries, Shakeel’s timed-out dismissal was followed by Irfan Khan being bowled first ball, completing Shahzad’s hat-trick. State Bank of Pakistan went from 128 for 1 to 128 for 5 in the space of just three balls.

Shahzad’s impressive performance helped PTV dismiss State Bank of Pakistan for 205, with former Pakistan opener Imran Butt scoring 89 in the innings.

His rare dismissal highlights the importance of preparation and readiness in cricket, even at the domestic level. As one of the few timed-out dismissals in first-class cricket history, Saud Shakeel’s moment will be remembered in Pakistani cricket circles for years to come.