The Indian Premier League (IPL) has never been short on controversies over the years and the 2019 edition is proving to be no different with Jos Buttler’s dismissal to a ‘Mankad’ run-out by Ravi Ashwin dominating airwaves.
The incident occurred during Rajasthan Royals‘ first home clash against Kings XI Punjab at Jaipur with Buttler’s controversial dismissal triggering a dramatic late collapse from the hosts in their chase of 185.
The episode had massively divided opinions across the cricketing world and while he still believes that the ‘wrong’ decision was made at the time, Buttler has since made his peace with the dismissal.
“If you look at the footage, probably the wrong decision was made because at the time he was expected to release the ball I was in my crease,” the Englishman told ESPNcricinfo in an interview.
“At the time I was really disappointed with it. I didn’t like the style of it. I just thought it was a bad precedent at the start of the tournament. For the tournament itself. It was a really disappointing way to start the tournament.
Ashwin Mankads Buttler
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 25, 2019
Within the rules of the game? Fair play? Would you have done it? You decide.
Full video here 📹📹https://t.co/OFh1P4mB5W #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/kFuayImDo8
“So, I didn’t like what happened and I didn’t agree with it, but what can you do? After a day or so I was pretty relaxed about it and I’ll make sure it never happens again. It won’t happen again.”
Much of the debate around the Mankading law has centred on the bowlers’ ‘expected time’ of delivery and Buttler has questioned the ambiguity with the wording of the law.
“Of course a Mankading has to be in the Laws of the game because a batsman can’t just run halfway down the pitch trying to get a headstart,” the Rajasthan Royals batsman said.
“But I do think, the way the law is written, there is a bit of a grey area in that saying ‘when a bowler is expected to release the ball’. That is a bit of a wishy-washy statement.”
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