Mankad controversy: Heather Knight accuses Deepti Sharma of ‘lying’
The contest between India and England at the Lord’s witnessed a controversial ending as Deepti Sharma ran England’s Charlie Dean out at the non-strikers’ end.
The match was ending into a close finish as England needed only 17 runs to win and Dean was reaching her first international half-century. However, Deepti Sharma ended Charlie Dean’s wicket by dismissing her at the non-strikers’ end.
When asked about the dismissal, Deepti Sharma said that the team had repeatedly warned her and had even informed the umpires about it.
“We did things as per the rules and guidelines,” she said after landing in India.
“We told the umpires as well, but she was there (outside the crease). We couldn’t do much,” she was quoted as saying to reporters.
However, this only added more to controversy as England captain Heather Knight accused Deepti Sharma of lying.
“The game is over, Charlie was dismissed legitimately. India were deserved winners of the match and the series. But no warnings were given,” Knight wrote on Twitter.
“They don’t need to be given, so it hasn’t made the dismissal any less legitimate.
“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.”
The Law is clear: The MCC
The MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) has backed Team India and reminded one and all of the changes brought about to the game.
In a statement released on Sunday, the MCC, known as the custodians of the Laws of Cricket, said:
MCC this year announced amendments to the Laws of cricket to move being run out at the non-strikers’ end, from Law 41 Unfair Play to Law 38 Run out.
“This change will formally come into effect from 1 October 2022. This was done to clarify this matter and to place an onus on batters to ensure that they do not leave the crease at the non-striker’s end, prior to a bowler releasing the ball.
“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 game.
“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 leave 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,” it concluded.’