6 of the most innovative tactics used in cricket in 2016

#6 The Mankad which decided the match

The West Indies U-19 team at the U-19 World Cup this year

The U-19 World Cup seems so long ago that you could be forgiven for forgetting that it took place this year. But it did, and on 2^nd February, eventual champions West Indies eliminated Zimbabwe in the most controversial circumstances. With Zimbabwe 9 down and requiring 3 runs to win in the last over, West Indies bowler Keemo Paul decided to break the stumps before his delivery stride. He had seen the non-striker outside his crease, and decided to ‘Mankad’ him without the customary warning.

The form of dismissal called the ‘Mankad’ is named after the legendary Indian all-rounder Vinoo Mankad, who was the first one to run the non-striker out (Australian batsman Bill Brown) by breaking the stumps instead of bowling the ball at the end of his run up. Mankad actually did this twice to Brown, once in a tour match, and then in a Test match in 1947. Australia’s captain, Don Bradman himself had no problem with this, as he saw it as an entirely acceptable form of dismissal.

We see batsmen being Mankaded (and bowlers warning non-strikers out of their crease) from time-to-time in both international and first-class cricket, but the main difference with the Mankading in the U-19 match was that it decided the result, as this was the last man being dismissed. Add to this the fact that Paul did not give the non-striker a warning before running the non-striker out, and you have a ready-made controversy.

A lot of ex-cricketers and commentators, of course, came out and said that this was against the spirit of the game. While it was a disappointing end to a gripping match and one did feel sorry for Zimbabwe, to say that it wasn’t in the spirit of the game is complete nonsense! It is the non-striker’s responsibility to stay inside the crease when the bowler is in his run-up, it is he who is going against the spirit of the game by trying to steal a couple of yards that will help him reach the other side quickly.

The Mankad is a legitimate way of getting a non-striker out. The laws do not require the bowler to give the non-striker a warning, and it definitely should not matter if the batting team is 2-down or 9-down at the time of the Mankad!