Pakistan opener baffles with 'strange' run-out, cruelling strong start against India

Pakistan opener Imam ul-Haq has left experts stunned with his poor decision-making in a horror run-out against India in the Champions Trophy.

Playing in Dubai due to the tensions between both countries, Pakistan's captain Muhammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to bat.

Fellow opener Babar Azam looked as if he was on his way to a trademark innings but was caught behind for 23.

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His fall came at 1-41 after 8.2 overs, and an over later ul-Haq would be walking off too.

The 29-year-old had 10 runs off 25 balls and seemed to be feeling the pressure despite his side scoring at more than five runs an over.

With Kuldeep Yadav bowling, ul-Haq hit the ball straight to Axar Patel at mid-off, who threw the stumps down brilliantly.

Replays showed ul-Haq was well short of his crease.

"Just the moment you'd be scratching your head as a Pakistan fan saying 'what on earth happened there?'," commentator Harsha Bhogle said on Amazon Prime's coverage.

"A strange run that."

The criticism didn't stop for ul-Haq with Pakistan legend Wasim Akram labelling it a "suicide run" before stating "there was no need for it".

Ravi Shastri also didn't hold back.

"Wasted wicket, never a single there," he said.

Shastri went on to point out ul-Haq has been run out six times since his debut, the most of any Pakistan player in the current team.

However, the all-time record goes to his uncle Inzamam, who was run out 40 times in his ODI career.