Pakistani cricketers are no strangers to the funny side of the game—dropping dollies, missing easy runouts, you name it. But here’s one record that’s so bizarre, it could top them all. Remember Umar Akmal, the man once touted as Pakistan’s next cricketing sensation?
Well, he might not have set the world on fire, but he sure set a record for getting out thrice in 24 hours. Yep, you heard that right.
It all started in a T20I against England in 2015 where Umar Akmal was dismissed for 4 off 9 balls. He played a rash shot and was caught by Cris Jordan. But hold on, the match went into a Super Over as both teams finished at 154 from 20 overs, giving him a rare second chance in the same game. Redemption arc? Nope. Any guesses as to what he did in the one-over eliminator? Yup, you guessed it right, he got out again. This time he was cleaned up by Jordan as Akmal failed to connect a low full-toss. England eventually won the match and whitewashed Pakistan 3-0.
But wait, there’s more! The very next day, he jetted off to Bangladesh for the BPL, where he suited up for Chittagong Vikings. Fresh start? Think again.
This time, he scratched his way to 1 run off 8 balls before nicking behind. Three dismissals, three different ways, in the span of 24 hours. Talk about a hat-trick of heartbreaks! It’s almost like the cricketing gods were crafting a slapstick comedy, with Umar Akmal playing the protagonist.