Ashwin was under no obligation to warn Jos Buttler before mankading him: MCC

The infamous act ‘Mankading’ was carried out by the Kings XI Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin and that led to a series of controversial opinions. The world of cricket has been divided since Monday night when the incident took place in an IPL game between the Mohali-based franchise and the Rajasthan Royals-led by Ajinkya Rahane.

The run out happened in the 13th over, bowled by the KXIP captain when Buttler on the non-strikers’ end was shockingly dismissed. Before the star English wicketkeeper could realize, Ashwin was done removing the bails at the non-striker’s end just as he was set to release the ball. Buttler, the set batsman for the Royals, was recorded to have stepped out of the crease, was caught in the act and had to walk as his innings of a 43-ball 69 came to an end.

Needless to say, the batsman seemed extremely annoyed after he realized the nature of his dismissal. According to the MCC’s Law, the one that 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.

Buttler could have been adjudged out or not out 

Amidst all kinds of opinions on this issue, the most important and valid one has to be the verdict from the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which owns the authority to the Laws of the game. The MCC has finally released a statement regarding the  ‘Mankad’ run-out of the Royals’ batsman Jos Buttler on Monday, March 25, in Jaipur.

According to MCC, the dismissal of Buttler could have been adjudged out or not out, subject to the interpretation of when Ashwin would have been expected to release the ball.

MCC’s statement on the ICC website said: “Yesterday’s incident could have been ruled out or not out depending on how ‘the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball’ is interpreted. Some feel that Ashwin delayed his action to allow Buttler the chance to leave his ground and that Buttler was in his ground when he expected the ball to be released. If it was a deliberate delay, that would be unfair and against the Spirit of Cricket. Ashwin claims this not to be the case.

“The TV umpire had to make a decision and, under the Law (and indeed ICC’s interpretation of them, which clarifies the expected moment of release as when the arm reaches its highest point), it was understandable how he opted to give Buttler out,” it concluded.

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