Mohammad Irfan Mankaded, Salman Butt questions justification of law

KARACHI: Pakistan’s former captain Salman Butt has questioned the moral justification of “Mankaded” run out after his domestic teammate Mohammad Irfan was controversially adjudged out during a Quaid-e-Azam trophy match between WAPDA and Peshawar.

On day four of the match in Abbottabad, when WAPDA were four runs short to win, with around 78 overs remaining in the day and Peshawar was looking for one wicket, Peshawar’s fast bowler Taj Wali Mankaded the non-striker Mohammad Irfan - who had taken a step out from the popping crease when the bowler was about to deliver.

On-field umpires, Ahmed Shahab and Faisal Afridi asked Peshawar side if they wanted to withdraw the appeal. They didn't, and Peshawar won by three runs, making a tough match end in an ugly manner.

Following the incident, both teams refrained from shaking hands and walked off the field in an untasteful manner.

The Mankading is, although declared legal by the ICC, considered as against the sportsman spirit.

ICC’s Law 41.16 describes the law as, “Non-striker leaving his/her ground early”. If the non-striker is out of his 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.

However, WAPDA’s captain Salman Butt has questioned the justification of the law asking the need of legalising something for which no one can be proud of, or no one can be applauded.

“What’s the point of having a law that goes against the spirit of the game and makes opponents apologize for following,” opinioned Salman after the incident.

“We had four beautiful days of cricket with Peshawar yet when the gentlemen’s game ended, no one shook hands or cared to see the other team off,” regretted the former captain.

Salman said that if this law was within the spirit of the game then why was Courtney Walsh praised for not Mankading Saleem Jaffar in 1987 World Cup match, which Pakistan won eventually.

“We have seen several incidents were players were praised for not Mankading opponents, which is an evidence that this is not for which anyone can feel proud of,” he said.

Salman, however, added that despite his grievances, he accepts the result of the match and admit that Irfan was out legally.

The Mankaded style of running opponent out came into limelight in 1947 when Indian bowler Vinoo Mankad ran out Australia’s Bill Brown in Sydney. Mankad, while being in the act of delivering the ball, held onto it and removed the bails with Brown well out of his crease.

Since this incident, a batsman dismissed in this fashion is (informally) said to have been "Mankaded".

The most recent incident of Mankading a player out in international cricket appeared when England’s Jos Butler was out in this fashion by Sri Lanka’s Sachithra Senanayake in Birmingham in an ODI in 2014.

Following the incident, MCC’s World Cricket Committee said that the method of getting opponent run out “mankading” is not against the spirit of the game.

“The unanimous view of the committee was that if the non-striker is out of his ground earlier than allowed in either the Laws of Cricket or the International Playing Conditions, then he can have no complaints should he be dismissed in this manner,” it had said.

“Furthermore, the committee believes it was not against the Spirit of Cricket to uphold such an appeal, and urges batsmen to ensure they do not try to gain an unfair advantage by moving out of their crease before the appropriate time,” it had said in July 2014.