Pakistan's ex-captain shares thoughts on Ravichandran Ashwin ‘Mankad’ controversy

The current international cricket seem to have been surrounded with ‘Mankad’ controversy, after Indian off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Jos Buttler at the non-striker’s end for backing up too much at the fifth match of Indian Premier League 2019 (IPL).

The whole incident has divided the cricketing circuit with many cricketers slamming Ashwin for disregarding the ‘spirit of cricket’ with his actions, whereas, others argue that the Kings XI captain has done nothing wrong, as it was well under the cricketing rules.

Pakistan's former captain-turned-cricket commentator Ramiz Raja has given his thoughts on the debate and has suggested that the rules should be changed. “I believe that the rule should be corrected, for example, we can add in this rule that if a bowler spots that a non striker batsman is taking an undue advantage by going out of the ground before the ball is expected to be released, in order to grab a quick single, then he should inform the umpire that if the non-striker repeats his action again, I would Mankad the non-striker.

“And then the umpire should give a warning to the non-striker, which shall be a part of the law, after the warning the bowler can Mankad the non-striker,” said Raja.

As per the MCC’s Law 41.16 deals with the issue of a non-striker leaving his/her ground early, “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. Whether the attempt is successful or not, the ball shall not count as one in the over.

“If the bowler fails in an attempt to run out the non-striker, the umpire shall call and signal Dead ball as soon as possible.”