Afghanistan had just run a single to take the score to 8-248 at the end of the 47th over when tail-ender Noor Ahmad made his way to the middle of the pitch to talk to his teammate.
Australia wicketkeeper Josh Inglis whipped off the bails as soon as Noor left his crease, and the on-field umpires sent the half-hearted appeal to the third umpire.
There was no doubt that Noor was well and truly out of his crease, and under the letter of the law he would have been given out, as the over wasn't officially completed.
But just before the third umpire could analyse the vision, Australia captain Steve Smith approached the on-field umpires to withdraw the appeal.
It was a vastly different outcome to what occurred during the 2023 Ashes in England, when wicketkeeper Alex Carey threw down the stumps after Bairstow had walked down the pitch thinking the over had finished.
Australia captain Pat Cummins went ahead with the appeal on that occasion, with Bairstow's dismissal playing a vital role in England's loss at Lord's.
After Smith withdrew the appeal on Friday, Afghanistan went on to make 25 more runs in the last three overs before being dismissed for 273 on the final ball of the innings.
Smith's men were racing towards victory on 1-109 after 12.5 overs before heavy rain hit Lahore, forcing the match to be abandoned as a no-result and sealing Australia's place in the semi-finals.
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