ICC U19 World Cup 2020: Debate over 'mankading' rages on; Ravichandran Ashwin takes 'shredder' dig at James Anderson

It isn’t the first time that ‘mankading’ – a mode of dismissal when a bowler runs out a non-striker for leaving their crease before the ball is delivered – has divided cricket viewers over its legitimacy and seems like it certainly won’t be the last. This time, though, it was 15-year-old Noor Ahmad from Afghanistan, who on Friday, pulled out of his run-up to knock the stumps of the Pakistan batsman (non-striker) Mohammad Huraira in the quarter-final match at the ICC U19 World Cup, that has attracted a lot of attention.

🚨 MANKAD 🚨

Noor Ahmed used the Mankad mode of dismissal to see off Pakistan's well-set Muhammad Hurraira for 64!

What do you make of it? 👇 #U19CWC | #AFGvPAK | #FutureStars pic.twitter.com/DoNKksj1KN

— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) January 31, 2020

The on-field umpire asked for a TV review and it was confirmed the Pakistan batsman had left his crease before the bowler had gotten into his delivery stride and he was ruled out on 64 by the third umpire. As it has been the case in the past whenever a player has been ‘mankaded’, even this time around, the laws of the cricket find themselves at the crossroads spirit of cricket. Well-known Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul tweeted, “By law that was a wicket but we shouldn’t be encouraging it amongst our youngsters as it’s not in the Spirit of the game”

By law that was a wicket but we shouldn’t be encouraging it amongst our youngsters as it’s not in the Spirit of the game. #PAKvAFG #CWCU19

— Umar Gul (@mdk_gul) January 31, 2020

Whilst former West Indies fast bowler and commentator at the tournament, Ian Bishop provided a counter view, suggesting Afghanistan’s actions legal within the laws of the game, the spirit of cricket need not come into it. “It’s not a character thing,” he said. “Law 41.16.6.1 says if the non-striker is out of his ground at any time from the moment the ball comes into play until the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the non-striker is liable to be run out. Whether it is at the moment he would expect the ball to be released, that’s up to the third umpire.”

"This is the law. It is in the law."@irbishi gives his take on Mankad as a mode of dismissal. #U19CWC | #FutureStars pic.twitter.com/io4eJ2WEXA

— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) January 31, 2020

The tall West Indian further said that, for him, the spirit of cricket is about players conduct and how they carry themselves on field, as opposed to the dismissals that are very much allowed within the laws of the game. More cricketers, current and former have weighed in on the ongoing issue, including two high-profile current international cricketers in the shape of England’s James Anderson and India’s Ravichandran Ashwin. Anderson, the leading wicket-taker in Tests among fast bowlers, took to Twitter, suggesting the ‘removal’ of law, while R Ashwin, didn’t miss an opportunity to get one back on the Lancashire bowler.

Law removal might need some deliberation!! A Shredder might do the trick for now😂😂🤩 https://t.co/8z5TNT57kZ

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) February 1, 2020

He tweeted “Law removal might need some deliberation!! A Shredder might do the trick for now,” followed by a couple of laughing emoticons for good measure. Ashwin and Anderson have a bit of history with regards to the topic of mankading. During the 2019 IPL when playing for Kings XI Punjab, Ashwin had ran out Rajasthan Royals’ Jos Buttler in similar fashion which led to huge uproar. After the incident, Anderson who was appeared on BBC’s podcast Tailenders had put an image of Ashwin through a shredder.

Jimmy's got his shredder out again… 😆

This time, he 'shreds' Ravi Ashwin for his 'Mankad' dismissal of Jos Buttler in the IPL!

Subscribe to #Tailenders on @BBCSounds 🏏📲: https://t.co/R2u1ldn3vs @jimmy9 | @gregjames | @felixwhite#tailendersoftheworlduniteandtakeover pic.twitter.com/XhV8WuuagA

— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) April 2, 2019

The video Anderson’s act did the rounds of social media with Ashwin choosing to remain relatively quiet, although he had said, “Today Jimmy Anderson might feel that whatever I did was wrong. Maybe, tomorrow he might end up doing (Mankading) it.” “Who knows, it is all a question of perception of right and wrong. I don’t think in this case it is necessary because it is within the law.” Apart from cricketers, many pundits and experts have also shared contrasting views on ‘mankading’ – a topic that is unlikely to have a unifying support any time soon. Despite the loss of the wicket, the Pakistan U19 team cruised to a six-wicket win and are set to face traditional rivals India in the semi-final on Tuesday.