Deepti Sharma’s run out to Charlie Dean has been incontrovertible on social media. The fans and the experts drop their opinions, implicating their side of knowledge of the incident if or not Deepti’s act was legal. The Indian bowler is accused of illegally doing run out to England’s batter. While many claim her act as disrespect and ditching, others come to her defence calling Mankad a legal rule of cricket.
Notably, Mankad is the informal name given to running out the non-striking batter whilst they are backing up, which is when they begin to leave the crease while the bowler is in their final delivery stride.
While clarifying herself, the bowler also mentioned that things were done within the codes, and the act committed was not a crime. According to the Indian all-rounder, the woman in blue multiple times warned Dean, but all she wanted was to run for the run a moment before Deepti could have delivered the ball, without focusing on if or not the bowler had dispatched the ball.
“Nothing, it was our plan because she repeatedly… we had warned her also. We did it according to the rules and guidelines.”
“Yes, yes, definitely we did (warn) say because we told the umpires. But still, she was there, so we couldn’t do anything.”
However, England’s captain’s statements contradict Deepti’s quotations as she asserts that no warnings were given. According to her, the Indian cricket team is defending itself with fabricated lies.
“No warnings were given; if they’re comfortable with the decision to affect (sic) the run out, India shouldn’t feel the need to justify it by lying about warnings”.
1/2 The game is over, Charlie was dismissed legitimately. India were deserved winners of the match and the series. But no warnings were given. They don’t need to be given, so it hasn’t made the dismissal any less legitimate… https://t.co/TOTdJ3HgJe
— Heather Knight (@Heatherknight55) September 26, 2022
2/2 But if they’re comfortable with the decision to affect the run out, India shouldn’t feel the need to justify it by lying about warnings ??♀️ https://t.co/TOTdJ3HgJe
— Heather Knight (@Heatherknight55) September 26, 2022
Harmanpreet Kaur, the Indian skipper, stated different things than the Mankad user and said she was not aware Deepti could do that. However, the bowler mentioned that ‘we’ warned the batter on the non-striker end.
“No, I wasn’t aware. And that’s what I’m saying, I’m actually happy she [Deepti] was aware because she was bowling from both ends in the middle and she knew she [Dean] was going and I think it was her awareness.”
Peter Della Penna, the analyst at ESPN Cricinfo, analyzed the situation in detail and wrote it was the batter’s lack of awareness. According to her, Deepti is not to be blamed.
Went back to the full match replay. Charlie Dean was leaving her crease early starting with her 2nd ball at the non-striker’s end in the 18th over. Ball is still in the bowler’s hand. Dean is never looking at the bowler to see if/when the ball has been released. Basic lack of awareness.
Went back to the full match replay. Charlie Dean was leaving her crease early starting with her 2nd ball at the non-striker's end in the 18th over. Ball still in bowler's hand. Dean is never looking at the bowler to see if/when the ball has been released. Basic lack of awareness. pic.twitter.com/yRokOftidg
— Peter Della Penna (@PeterDellaPenna) September 25, 2022
MCC, one of the custodians of the game, cleared that mankading is a legal rule. It advised the non-striker to stay within their lines until they witness the bowler releasing the bowl. The statements read,
“The Law is clear, as it needs to be for all umpires to be able to easily interpret throughout all levels of the game and at all moments in the “Cricket is a broad church and the spirit by which it is played is no different.
As custodians of the Spirit of Cricket, MCC appreciates its application is interpreted differently across the globe. Respectful debate is healthy and should continue, as where one person sees the bowler as breaching the Spirit in such examples, another will point at the non-striker gaining an unfair advantage by leaving their ground early.
“MCC’s message to non-strikers continues to be to remain in their ground until they have seen the ball leaves the bowler’s hand. Then dismissals, such as the one seen yesterday, cannot happen. Whilst yesterday was indeed an unusual end to an exciting match, it was properly officiated and should not be considered as anything more.”
