How Ravi Ashwin's controversial Mankad broke the rules
Ravi Ashwin’s controversial Mankad dismissal of Jos Buttler in the Indian Premier League should have been ruled not out.
That’s the opinion shared among a number of cricketers, fans and pundits after footage was analysed from start to finish on Tuesday.
Sensing that Kings XI Punjab would not win their clash with Rajasthan Royals if Buttler remained out there, Ashwin – the team’s captain – took his chance.
He knocked the bails off at the non-striker’s end to send the English batsman back to the dressing room on 69 runs, and the ploy worked as Kings XI won by 14 runs.
But when the umpire sent the appeal upstairs to check if Buttler was out of his crease, a particular portion of the rules was ignored.
A 2017 update to law 41.16 reads: “If the non-striker is out of his/her ground from the moment the ball comes into play to the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the bowler is permitted to attempt to run him/her out.”
Note the key words ‘would normally have been expected to release the ball’.
Former Australian cricket stars Shane Warne and Lisa Sthalekar were among those to point out the discrepancy between the rulebook and what happened on the field.
Warne wrote: “(Ashwin) had no intention of delivering the ball – so it should have been called a dead ball.”
So disappointed in @ashwinravi99 as a Captain & as a person. All captains sign the #IPL wall & agree to play in the spirit of the game. RA had no intention of delivering the ball – so it should have been called a dead ball. Over to u BCCI – this a not a good look for the #IPL
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) March 25, 2019
Sthalekar added: “(It) should have been called dead ball because at the point of release Buttler is in, but Ashwin waits until his momentum of ‘backing up’ takes him out of the crease’.”
Here’s my 2 cents worth on THE run out. Should have been called dead ball cause at the point of release ⬇️ Buttler is in, but Ashwin waits until his momentum of “backing up” takes him out of the crease. Butler’s technique could be improved to limit this by being side-on = power pic.twitter.com/vOiYxLMTiI
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) March 26, 2019
The argument boils down to Ashwin’s desperation to dismiss Buttler, having hesitated on his action to enact the Mankad.
The bowler stopped in his tracks, kept his bowling arm down, looked at Buttler and removed the bails.
My opinion on the Buttler/Ashwin controversy is that its NOT Buttlers fault and its NOT Ashwins fault either
Ashwin is entitled to appeal
I thought the TV umpire made the incorrect decision
Shouldve been dead ball….. play on
— Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) March 25, 2019
sorry, just to clarify I’m not saying dead ball because Buttler was in when run up was balked.
I’m saying dead ball because Buttler is in (or at least not definitively out of) his ground when Ashwin "would normally have been expected to release the ball"
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) March 25, 2019
This is an appalling mankad by Ravi Ashwin. Jos Buttler is still in his crease when he lands, so Ashwin should be expected to deliver the ball. Pretty poor effort from the captain. Certainly ain’t winning any ‘spirit of cricket’ awards. #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/roseIfLXYQ
— Matt Balmer (@MattBalmer7) March 25, 2019
That's a dead ball.#Ashwin
— Kartik Dayanand (@KartikDayanand) March 25, 2019
Just watched the Ashwin replay for the umpteenth time.. he wasn’t even in full delivery stride when he runs Butler out. Instead, he pauses and waits for Butler to leave the crease! NOT OUT even by LAW and Common sense dictates umpire should have called dead ball!
— Citizen/नागरिक/Dost Rajdeep (@sardesairajdeep) March 25, 2019
My interpretation of the Law results in not out. Slow mo doesn’t look to me like Buttler was out of his ground at instant Ashwin would “normally have been expected to release the ball”. So dead ball. Difficulty is, Law relies on judging timing of s’thing that hasn’t happened
— AlisonMitchell (@AlisonMitchell) March 25, 2019
Ashwin defended his actions after the match, saying his play was “very instinctive”.
“I didn’t even load and he left the crease,” he said.
“It’s always been my take on it, because it’s my half of the crease. We ended on the right side of it but those things are game-changers and batsmen need to be wary of it.”
