Smriti Mandhana involved in scuffle over 'Mankad' during Senior Women T20 League game

One of Indian cricket's star batters Smriti Mandhana was involved in a heated exchange with the opponent players during Maharashtra's Senior Women T20 League game against Rajasthan which was being played at the Siechem Stadium in Pondicherry. The 25-year-old batter was reportedly unhappy with the way she was dismissed after she was 'Mankaded' on the non-striker's end. She was seen in a war of words with the Rajasthan players after she got out.  

Mandhana had set up a 46-run partnership with Shivali Shinde before KP Choudhary ran her out at the non-striker's end. The bowler acted quickly to remove the bails in her run-up when Mandhana was ahead of the crease. She had to return to the pavilion after scoring just 28, with three fours and a six but argued with the Rajasthan team players before walking back to the dugout.

Meanwhile, Tejal Hasabinis top-scored for Maharashtra with an unbeaten 39, while Shinde notched up 30 runs from 38 balls. Maharashtra went on to win the game by eight wickets and qualify for the knockout rounds, and Mandhana's run-out headlined the contest.

Run-outs at the non-striker's end when batters back up too far have often triggered heated debates over the spirit of the game. But the MCC last month decided to move the law relating to run-outs at the non-striker's end from its 'unfair play' to 'Runout'.

"Law 41.16 – running out the non-striker – has been moved from Law 41 (Unfair Play) to Law 38 (Runout). The wording of the Law remains the same," the MCC said in its statement.

Mandhana was last seen in action for India during the 2022 ICC Women's World Cup in New Zealand. The India women's star had earlier said that batters should be warned before being dismissed by 'Mankading'.

"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 had said in 2020 during the T20 World Cup in Australia. "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," she added.