AFP News: Sri Lankan cricket captain Mahela Jayawardene says Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's controversial ''Mankad'' dismissal of Lahiru Thirimanne in Brisbane flouted the spirit of the game.
Thirimanne survived the dismissal during his innings of 62 in Sri Lanka's 51-run tri-series win over India at the Gabba on Tuesday, but only after the Indians decided to withdraw their appeal.
A Mankad is where the bowler whips off the bails at the non-striker's end instead of releasing the ball.
But after umpires Paul Reiffel and Billy Bowden talked to India's stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag and veteran Sachin Tendulkar, the Indians decided to give Thirimanne a reprieve.
Jayawardene conceded Thirimanne had strayed from the crease but said Ashwin's decision to Mankad him was wrong.
''I probably felt there was a little bit of fault in our guy to be honest but I think, in the spirit of the game, Sehwag did the right thing [withdrawing the appeal],'' Jayawardene said.
''I don't play like that - I would give him a warning and make sure he stays in the crease. I think it was a small incident in a crucial game and I think we need to move on.''
A Mankad dismissal is rare. It is named after Vinoo Mankad, who twice dismissed Australian batsman Bill Brown this way in 1947-48.
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AFP
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