By Sumit
Paul, New Age Islam
21
November, 2023
When
this law was drafted, the cricket community as a whole either contributed to
its creation or supported it.
If
this law was harsh and immoral, then why was it created by everyone together?
Either
all people lack morality, or you are endorsing Mathews as the only one who is
correct and Shakib is incorrect.
By GG
13/11/2023 17:25:39
I'm
afraid this comment smacks of mild community affinity as the person who has
commented, happens to be a Muslim. So, it's obvious that he's trying to justify
Shakib's act of villainy. Please understand one thing. There're at least six rules
in cricket which very much exist but are often debated when implemented.
Implementation of a rule depends upon the contexts and are often influenced by
circumstances, player or captain's qualms and scruples. Even one of the
greatest sportsmen like late Bishan Singh Bedi, who would clap when a batsman
would hit him for a boundary or an over boundary, didn't allow limping Viv
Richards to have a runner which annoyed the West Indian captain Clive Lloyd and
of course, the great Viv Richards. Bedi was within the rules and had the right
to say no to a runner for Richards because you need the permission of the
captain of another team for having a runner. Since Lloyd resorted to unlawful
and intimidating tactics to demoralise the Indian batsmen by unleashing his
deadly pacers, Bedi taught him a lesson when the ball was in his court.
Moreover, Richards could still run. It was tit for tat. The same sporting
Sardar allowed all batsmen including Lloyd to have a runner when they were
genuinely injured. In nearly 150 years of cricket being played in all formats,
only twice the captains of opposite teams refused the batsmen of another team
to have a runner. Before Bedi, the legendary Wally Hammond didn't allow Bill
Ponsford of Australia to have a runner as the latter pretended to have an
injury. Here, Shakib had no such provocation or foul play from the opposition.
Angelo Mathews was just adjusting his helmet. Shakib simply wanted to win by
resorting to a very unusual law. Mankeding is still in cricket (named after
Vinoo Mankad for lawfully running out Australia's Bill Brown in this style in
1947 in a Sydney Test). It was done by Australia's Greg Chappell for the first
time in ODIs when he ran out England's Brian Luckhurst in 1974-75. In T20
cricket, the dismissal took place in the Asia Cup Qualifier when Amir Kaleem
ran out Mark Chapman. In all these instances, the players in question were
right. But West Indies' Courtney Walsh refused to run out Saleem Jaffar in this
'uncricketing' way in a crucial World Cup match in Lahore, Pakistan, way back
on October 16, 1987. West Indies lost the match and also missed the Cup. So,
all these rules and their implementation depend upon contexts and
circumstances. 'Timed out' law has a sub-class very few are aware of. It's
hardly implemented on the ground and can be implemented if a batsman is taking
inordinate time in coming out of the pavilion. But if he informs, he's not
timed out. Australian southpaw Neil Harvey had an upset tummy in the Dacca Test
in 1959. He needed to go to the washroom and had cramps. But no Pakistani
cricketer shouted for a time out dismissal. Nor was Fazal Mahmood insensitive
like Shakib to dismiss Harvey by resorting to the rare law in spite of being
aware of it. So, please don't try to defend Shakib. Even the Bangladesh bowling
coach, Allan Donald, has roundly criticised him (Shakib). Too much community
consciousness is an unhealthy trait and trend. Rise above it. Don't labour
under the delusion that the whole world is forever against a Muslim individual
and every 'innocent' Muslim is projected as a victim.
…
A
regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative
religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the
world's premier publications in several languages including Persian.
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