Mandhana: Mankading within rules but batters can be warned

The debate was ignited again when England’s Katherine Brunt recently opted against mankading South Africa’s Sune Luus in the Women's T20 World Cup.

Smriti Mandhana is likely to play the match against New Zealand after missing India’s last game against Bangladesh due to illness.

India opener Smriti Mandhana on Wednesday said the rules permit the bowlers to resort to mankading but the batters could be warned before being dismissed.

The debate over this method of dismissal was ignited again when England’s Katherine Brunt recently opted against mankading South Africa’s Sune Luus in a crunch situation during a group stage match in the ongoing 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia.

“Well, I think it is in the rules of the game, that you can get the batter out. But I think it is good for us to give warning once, or twice maybe,” Mandhana said on the eve of India’s match against New Zealand.

“As a batter, if I keep doing that then the third time I think the bowler has the right to get me out. So that’s what I feel.”

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had used mankading to remove Jos Buttler in an Indian Premier League match (IPL) match between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals last year, stirring a lot of debate and discussion on the rules governing the dismissal.

Early in February, England pacer James Anderson had urged ICC to get rid of mankading after Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmed had dismissed Pakistan opener Mohammad Huraira in their quarterfinal clash at the U-19 World cup in the same fashion.

Smriti is likely to play the match against New Zealand after missing India’s last game against Bangladesh due to illness.

India is currently unbeaten in the tournament after two successive wins over defending champion Australia and Bangladesh.