Bizarre cricket run-outs

Pakistan batsman Azhar Ali would have been eyeing a 15th Test century but was instead run-out in bizarre fashion against Australia in Abu Dhabi.

A bemused Azhar had to depart for 64 on day three of the second Test after a ball he thought he had dispatched for four actually stopped a couple of feet short of the boundary rope.

As Azhar and Asad Shafiq stood chatting mid-pitch, Mitchell Starc threw the ball to Australia captain Tim Paine, who whipped off the bails before either Pakistan batsman could grasp what was unfolding.

Here, Press Association Sport looks at four other unorthodox run-outs:

Ian Bell

Azhar's misfortune was reminiscent of Ian Bell's blunder against India at Trent Bridge seven years ago. The England batsman had crafted a typically stylish century and was heading towards the pavilion after believing Eoin Morgan had hit a four from the final delivery before tea. However, Praveen Kumar had actually prevented the boundary, perhaps even unbeknown to him, and his casual throw was followed by Mahendra Singh Dhoni removing the bails. After a couple of minutes of confusion, Bell was given out to his and the crowd's astonishment. He was ultimately reinstated following talks between the England and India camps but later admitted he had been "very naive (and) a bit stupid."

Misbah-ul-Haq

Featuring in just his eighth Test against Pakistan's bitter rivals India in 2007, Misbah looked on course for his maiden international ton but his relative inexperience came back to haunt him. Jogging through for a single, the genial batsman who would go on to become known for his unflappable temperament was on course to make his ground but jumped up at precisely the wrong moment to avoid Dinesh Karthik's throw, creating a passage for the ball to thud into the stumps and dismissing Misbah for 82. Misbah would show his resolve over the course of the series with hundreds in the following two Tests.

Amit Mishra

The Sunrisers Hyderabad leg-spinner was given ample opportunity to make his ground during a 2014 Indian Premier League group game against the Rajasthan Royals, but comically failed on all counts. In the final over of the Sunrisers' innings, Mishra was unable to connect with James Faulkner's slower ball but set off for a bye. As he was halfway down the pitch, Sanju Samson's shy missed the stumps while Faulkner was then wayward with his throw with Mishra in no man's land. Not satisfied with two lives, the tail-ender idled his way back towards the crease but was still inches short and looking at non-striker Irfan Pathan when Samson finally threw down the stumps.

Peter Nevill

Of the batsmen who have featured on this list, Nevill is perhaps the only one who escapes any blame. Dwayne Bravo was taking centre stage in a Melbourne derby in the 2015/16 Big Bash League, and looked to heave Stars leg-spinner Adam Zampa down the ground. The Renegades batsman connected with a full toss that first ricocheted off non-striker Nevill's bat before pin-balling off Zampa's face and on to the stumps. Nevill's immediate concern was not that he had been run-out while backing up but for the bowler, who received immediate treatment but ultimately escaped injury for his inadvertent heroics.