If it had been a professional match, it would have been the longest second in the history of cricket.
A second major controversy has hit the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025. The cancelled match between India and Pakistan Champions caused a stir after several retired Indian cricketers had to pull out of the game due to mounting pressure from fans online.
Less than 10 days later, people are claiming that match-fixing is going on in the league. The allegations have come after a match between Australia and Pakistan Champions ended in the most bizarre fashion.
Pakistan were well on their way to beat Australia. Chasing just 75 runs, they were 55/0 after 6 overs. In the next couple of overs, they would have crossed the line. Pakistan had already qualified for the WCL 2025 semifinals, and this would be a simple bonus win.
John Hastings’ bizarre display against Pakistan
Well, Pakistan won just 5 balls later. But it wasn’t the brilliance of Sharjeel Khan or Sohaib Maqsood that helped them cross the line. Instead, it was an 18-ball over that consisted of 12 wides and 1 no-ball that helped them win.
The bowler in question was John Hastings. Someone who has represented Australia in all formats and even played in 2 ICC events, the Champions Trophy and T20 World Cup. Hastings isn’t even that old. At 39, he’s just one year younger than Usman Khawaja, Australia’s current Test opener.
Hastings started the over with 5 consecutive wides. Bowled two legitimate deliveries, which were followed by a no-ball and a wide. He bowled three legitimate deliveries of the next four balls and then proceeded to bowl 5 consecutive wides again. Hastings bowled just 5 legitimate balls in the over as Pakistan won by 10 wickets.
Since this was a legends match, the over can’t be counted as one of the longest in cricket history. Had this been a List A, first-class, or T20 match, Hastings’ 18-ball over would have been the second-longest in history. With Bret Vance’s 22-ball over, it was the only one that would trump it.
Longest over in cricket history
- Bert Vance – 22 balls in 1990
- Mohammad Sami – 17 balls in 2004
- Curty Ambrose – 15 balls in 1997
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The real issue here isnt Hastings its the umpiring standards. We need better training and maybe technology to help with these calls because this kind of thing damages crickets reputation globally
Why is everyone defending him?? If this was the other way around people would be screaming match fixing or something. Double standards much? Pakistani players deserve better than this joke of an over
Ah yes the ‘controversy’. Next your gonna tell me that bowling wides is actually a secret weapon that ICC doesnt want us to know about
Oh yes, because bowling 18 balls in one over is totally normal cricket strategy. Nothing suspicious here at all. Move along folks! 🙄
18 balls in one over?? Did Hastings forget how to count or was he trying to set a world record lmaooo 😂 Pakistani team must of been so confused standing there like ‘is this guy ever gonna finish??’
Classic stuff really. Nothing says ‘competitive sport’ like an over that never ends 👏
This was absolutely briliant from Hastings! One of the best overs I’ve seen in recent memry. People complaining about it just dont understand the presure he was under and he delivred perfectly.
Honestly this is just embarassing. The umpiring was terrible and Hastings knew exactly what he was doing with those wides. Pakistani team got robbed and everyone knows it but nobody wants to say it.
For those who didnt watch: Hastings bowled 18 deliveries in what shouldve been a 6-ball over due to multiple wides and no-balls. The controversy stems from whether some of those calls were correct and if it affected the games momentum unfairly against the Pakistani side.
Are you people serious?? This wasnt controversial at all, the umpires made the right calls. If Pakistani batsmen cant handle pressure thats their problem not Hastings fault lol