Mankading Explained — The Run-Out at the Non-Striker's End

Mankading is the dismissal of the non-striker batter — the batter at the end the bowler runs from — by the bowler breaking the stumps at the non-striker's end before delivering the ball, if the non-striker has left their crease before the ball is released. The name comes from India's Vinoo Mankad, who ran out Australian Bill Brown at the non-striker's end during the 1947–48 tour of Australia, sparking decades of controversy about whether the dismissal was legal, ethical, or both.

Is Mankading legal?

Yes, fully and unambiguously. The MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club), which writes the Laws of Cricket, reclassified Mankading in October 2022 as a legitimate run-out under Law 38 (Run Out) rather than an unfair-play dismissal under Law 41. The name 'Mankad' was formally replaced in the Laws with 'non-striker leaving their crease early'. The ICC adopted the same change for international cricket. There is no longer any sporting controversy about its legality — it is a standard mode of dismissal.

Exactly when can the bowler run out the non-striker?

The bowler may attempt to run out the non-striker at any point during their delivery stride — from the beginning of the run-up until the moment the arm comes over and the ball is released. Once the ball leaves the bowler's hand, the dismissal opportunity has passed. The key criterion is simple: the non-striker's bat or body must be behind the popping crease at the non-striker's end when the ball would have been released in a normal delivery. If any part of the non-striker's bat or body is grounded behind the crease at that moment, they are safe.

Do bowlers have to warn the non-striker first?

No. Under the 2022 ICC and MCC Law changes, warnings are no longer required before a bowler attempts to run out the non-striker. Before 2022, the Laws strongly recommended (though did not require) a warning. In practice, many international teams had protocols where bowlers warned a batsman once before attempting the dismissal — but this was custom, not law. The warning convention has been dropped because the Law now treats it as a clean run-out, like any other dismissal.

Famous Mankading instances

• Vinoo Mankad vs Bill Brown (1947–48): Mankad ran out Brown during a tour match in Sydney. The Australian press called it unsporting; Bradman publicly defended Mankad. The dismissal entered cricket history as 'Mankading'.
• Ravichandran Ashwin vs Jos Buttler (IPL 2019): Kings XI Punjab's Ashwin ran out Buttler of Rajasthan Royals at the non-striker's end without warning during a crucial IPL match. It divided opinion sharply — Ashwin was criticised by English commentators but defended by the Laws, which he had not broken.
• Charlie Dean vs Deepti Sharma (Lord's, 2022): Indian spinner Deepti Sharma ran out England's Charlie Dean off the final ball of an ODI at Lord's. With England needing 17 from the last over and one wicket in hand, Dean was well down the pitch when Sharma broke the stumps. England were all out. The incident prompted the MCC to accelerate its Law clarification, after which the dismissal was moved into the run-out category and the term 'Mankad' was dropped.

Why do non-strikers leave their crease early?

Non-strikers leave their crease early — a practice called 'backing up' — to gain a head start on completing a run if their batting partner hits the ball. The further down the pitch the non-striker is when the ball is played, the easier it is to complete tight singles. Elite batters back up by a few feet, which is within the Laws, but some go past the crease well before the ball is released, which is the behaviour the dismissal targets.

How to avoid being Mankaded as a non-striker

Keep the bat grounded behind the popping crease at the non-striker's end until the ball leaves the bowler's hand. Watch the bowler's arm: when the arm starts to come over, the ball is about to be released, and you may then begin moving. Backing up is entirely legitimate once the ball is released — the dismissal only applies to movement before that moment.