India Women’s team came up with an emphatic win against England in the third ODI and completed a clean sweep on the English team. The venue of this win, Lord’s Cricket Ground, meant that the win was even sweeter.
The win came off from a run-out by Deepti Sharma in her stride and this action seems to have opened the pandora’s box yet again. Sharma dismissed Charlotte Dean by Mankading, a form of dismissal which is as legal as being bowled or caught out. England needed 16 runs with Freya Davies and Charlotte Dean at the crease in the 44th over when Sharma knocked the bails off after seeing Dean out of her crease even before the ball had been bowled.
Although this form of dismissal was already in the rule books, the Governing Body of International Cricket laid great emphasis on its legality and fairness in the 20 September announcement.
“Running out a non-striker for backing up too much will now be considered as a regular run out,” the Apex Cricket Body had said.
There has been a recent call for disallowing batters unfair advantages in the game, like leaving the crease even before the ball has been bowled. The India spinner Ravi Ashwin has been a great proponent of making the game fair for bowlers since cricket has been inching into batters’ favours gradually. Powerplay, only one bouncer per over, wide deliveries, no balls, smaller boundaries, and many other such changes have taken the game into batters’ favour with bowlers getting the shorter end of the stick.
Deepti Sharma’s run-out has brought out opposing voices in the cricketing fraternity with many supporting the dismissal and lauding Sharma for game awareness. Some, however (mostly England cricketers) seem to criticise the form of dismissal by bringing in their own notion of “spirit of cricket” into the mix and criticising Deepti and the whole of Indian cricket for not following it.
Twitter however was quick to remind the critics of the legality and the actual spirit of the game.
Well done, Deepti Sharma. You did the right thing. And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
And well done, Team India ?? The sweet taste of a clean sweep on English soil. Brilliant. ??
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 24, 2022
Game awareness from Deepti Sharma. A no ball at #ICC #CWC22 in New Zealand to the series win #ENGvIND @HomeOfCricket @BCCIWomen pic.twitter.com/tsRU0BiVOs
— Anjum Chopra (@chopraanjum) September 24, 2022
It's actually quite simple. Ball comes into play when bowler starts run up. From that moment on as a batter or non striker you've to keep your eyes on the ball, if you're a bit careless, opposition will get you out. And you can get out at either ends. #ENGvIND
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) September 24, 2022
Funny to see so many English guys being poor losers. #Runout . pic.twitter.com/OJOibK6iBZ
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) September 24, 2022
Running out at the non-striker's end without warning at Lord's is EXACTLY how I would have loved India to win.
Absolute legend, Deepti Sharma.
Beautiful. Beautiful.
— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) September 24, 2022
Im on no one's side here but my opinion is that if bowlers are forced to stay behind the line while bowling due to the laws in place…. batters can learn to stay behind the line too while backing up due to the laws in place
Seems fair to me if we all just follow the laws
— Tabraiz Shamsi (@shamsi90) September 24, 2022
It would be questioned for a long time but it’s in the law of the games. You can be run out by #mankading.
Bear in mind it’s in the laws of the game. #ENGvsIND— Monty Panesar (@MontyPanesar) September 24, 2022
It’s a legal dismissal. The only thing against the spirit of the game here is the batter trying to gain an unfair advantage. Well done, Deepti Sharma. #EngvInd
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) September 24, 2022
Why the hell are you trending Ashwin? Tonight is about another bowling hero @Deepti_Sharma06 ??
— Ashwin ?? (@ashwinravi99) September 24, 2022
In fact that’s a great idea. How about awarding that wicket to the bowler for “ presence of mind” under immense pressure and of course knowing the social stigma that he/she would have to deal with post doing it. How about a bravery award to go with it too @ICC ? https://t.co/9PqqetnnGw
— Ashwin ?? (@ashwinravi99) September 25, 2022
Deepti Sharma and the form of dismissal was criticised by many England cricieters.
It shouldn’t be difficult for the non striker to stay in their crease til the ball has left the hand…
— Alex Hales (@AlexHales1) September 24, 2022
Spot on. No intention of bowling the ball ?
— James Anderson (@jimmy9) September 24, 2022
A run out? Terrible way to finish the game
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) September 24, 2022
I find the debate of the Mankad really interesting. So many views from either side. I personally wouldn’t like to win a match like that, also, very happy for others to feel differently https://t.co/BItCNJZqYB
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) September 24, 2022
There’s surely not a person who has played the game that thinks this is acceptable?
Just not cricket… https://t.co/VLGeddDlrz
— Sam Billings (@sambillings) September 24, 2022
Legal but that’s just not cricket. Terrible way to end a terrific game. #ENGvsIND
— England's Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) September 24, 2022
