Run Out in Cricket Explained: Types of Run Outs, Mankad Dismissal, and the Most Controversial Run Outs in History
Run out dismissals — direct hit run outs, fielder-thrown-to-keeper run outs, the Mankad (non-striker run out before delivery), and how umpires decide run outs when both batsmen cross. The famous Inzamam-ul-Haq run outs, the Deepti Sharma Mankad vs Charlotte Dean controversy (2022), and how cricket's DRS applies to run out reviews.
A run out occurs when a batsman is out of his crease (ground) when the fielding side breaks the wicket with the ball — either during a run between the wickets or during backing up. Run out is one of cricket's 11 modes of dismissal. It is the most varied mode of dismissal in terms of how it happens — direct hits, deflections, thrown to the keeper, overthrow returns — and includes the contested 'Mankad' dismissal (non-striker run out before delivery), which has been one of cricket's most debated laws.
Types of Run Out
Run out categories: (1) Direct hit run out: a fielder picks up the ball and hits the stumps directly with a throw — without the ball passing through a fielder or wicketkeeper's hands. If the batsman is not in his crease at the moment the stumps are broken, he is out. Direct hit run outs are the most spectacular run outs — fielders like Jonty Rhodes, Ricky Ponting, and Ravindra Jadeja are celebrated for direct-hit accuracy from 30-50 metres; (2) Keeper/fielder assisted run out: the ball is thrown to the wicketkeeper or another fielder, who then breaks the stumps. The batsman at the stumps end is run out if he is out of his crease when the stumps are broken; (3) Both batsmen out of crease (crossing): when batsmen are running and the stumps are broken, the umpire must determine which batsman was out — the one who has not yet grounded their bat over the crease at the striking end (where the stumps were broken). If the batsmen crossed (the non-striker ran past the striker), the striker is out. If they had not yet crossed, the striker is out (for the bowling end run out); (4) Run out without attempting a run: a batsman can be run out if they leave their crease without attempting a run — for example, walking down the pitch to inspect the surface, or accidentally stepping out. If the wicketkeeper breaks the stumps with the ball while the batsman is out of the crease, the batsman can be given out run out (or stumped, depending on how it occurs).
The Mankad Dismissal
Mankad dismissal (non-striker run out before delivery): (1) What it is: the Mankad is a run out where the bowler dismisses the non-striking batsman before delivering the ball — the non-striker is backing up (moving forward from the non-striker's crease before the ball is released) and the bowler runs out the stumps at the non-striker's end. Named after Indian bowler Vinoo Mankad, who dismissed Australian non-striker Bill Brown in 1948 (Bradman's Australians tour); (2) Legal status: the Mankad is entirely legal under MCC Laws. Law 38 (Run Out) and Law 41.16 (Non-striker leaving their crease) address this. The non-striker is warned once if they leave their crease early; on subsequent offences, the umpire can give them out. In practice, most bowlers warn the non-striker before running them out; (3) Spirit of cricket debate: despite being legal, Mankad dismissals are controversial because cricket's culture expects a bowler to warn a non-striker before running them out. Running out a non-striker without warning is seen as against the 'spirit of cricket' — even if legally unimpeachable; (4) Deepti Sharma vs Charlotte Dean (2022): in the 5th ODI of England vs India Women (Lord's, September 24, 2022), India's Deepti Sharma ran out England's Charlotte Dean at the non-striker's end with the ball in hand — while Dean was backing up early. England were 9 wickets down, needing 17 runs; Dean was dismissed for 47. India won by 16 runs. The dismissal was legally correct but caused significant controversy — ICC clarified that the Mankad is a legitimate dismissal and bowlers are no longer required to warn the non-striker (a 2022 Laws update removed the warning requirement and moved the Mankad from 'unfair play' to 'run out').
DRS and Run Out Reviews
How DRS handles run out decisions: (1) TV replays for run outs: all run outs (not just DRS reviews) in international cricket are referred to the third umpire for confirmation. The on-field umpire signals 'refer to third umpire' for any run out decision — the third umpire reviews TV replay footage to determine if the batsman's bat or body was grounded in the crease at the moment the stumps were broken; (2) DRS review process: in DRS, run out decisions can also be reviewed by the batting team if the on-field umpire gives not out. However, in practice, most run outs are directly referred to the third umpire — the on-field umpire rarely makes a definitive run out call without referring; (3) Super Slo-Mo and margin calls: run out decisions at the margins (bat grounding 1-2 cm short of the crease; bat lifting as the stumps are broken) rely on super slow-motion camera footage. The third umpire is looking for: (a) whether the bat was grounded within the crease at the moment the bails are dislodged; (b) whether the bail was dislodged by the ball making contact with the stumps; (4) The bat lift ambiguity: a common run out controversy — the batsman slides the bat in but then lifts it before the stumps are broken. At normal speed, it appears the bat is in the crease; on super slow motion, the bat may be in the air when the stump is broken. Super slo-mo resolves these cases but has itself become a source of discussion about whether the technology is too sensitive for what is fundamentally a physical judgement.
Frequently asked questions
What is a run out in cricket?
A run out in cricket is a dismissal where a batsman is out of their crease when the fielding side breaks the wicket with the ball — occurring during a run between wickets or if a batsman leaves their crease without attempting a run. The fielding side must break the wicket with the ball (either a direct hit, or throwing to the keeper/fielder who then breaks the stumps) while the batsman is out of their crease. If both batsmen are out of their crease when the stumps are broken, the umpire determines which batsman was heading to that end — the one who has not yet reached or grounded their bat at that end is out.
What is the Mankad dismissal in cricket?
The Mankad dismissal is a run out where the bowler dismisses the non-striking batsman before delivering the ball — the non-striker is backing up early (moving forward from the non-striker's crease) and the bowler runs out the stumps at the non-striker's end. Named after Indian bowler Vinoo Mankad who used it in 1948 vs Australia. The Mankad is entirely legal under MCC Laws. In 2022, the MCC updated the Laws to move Mankad from 'unfair play' to 'run out' — and removed the requirement for a warning. The 2022 MCC change was prompted in part by the Deepti Sharma vs Charlotte Dean Mankad (Lord's, September 2022) which confirmed the dismissal's legal clarity.
How does DRS work for run out decisions in cricket?
Run out decisions in international cricket are handled by the third umpire (TV umpire) — all significant run outs are referred to the third umpire by the on-field umpire for review. The third umpire uses super slow-motion camera footage to determine if the batsman's bat or body was grounded in the crease at the moment the bails were dislodged. DRS batting-team reviews can also be used for run out decisions (if the on-field umpire gives not-out and the bowling team disagrees). The key determination: was the bat within the crease before the bails were dislodged? Super slow-motion has made many marginal run out calls clear, though controversies about bat-lift timing remain.