The ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is exciting as Australia and Sri Lanka prepare to clash in a high-stakes encounter at Lucknow. Both teams are eager to secure their first victory in this prestigious ten-nation tournament, having suffered back-to-back losses. The stage is set for a thrilling showdown to keep cricket enthusiasts on the edge.
From the beginning of this crucial match, the Australian players demonstrated their determination to assert themselves. They found themselves fielding first at the renowned Ekana Stadium, as fate would have it. In a remarkable turn of events, the star Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc sent a clear message to Sri Lankan opener Kusal Perera.
The incident unfolded in the fourth over, a mere four deliveries in, as Starc paused during his bowling stride to sternly caution Perera. His message was simple yet emphatic: remain within the crease at the non-striker’s end, or there wouldn’t be a second chance.
Starc attempted a similar warning in the fifth over, but this time, Perera kept his bat firmly within the crease. It was a testament to the spirit of sportsmanship in the cricket world.
According to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) laws, a bowler can run out the non-striker if they stray outside the crease before the ball is bowled. However, it’s a longstanding tradition for bowlers to provide a verbal warning to the batter before executing such a run-out. This unwritten rule embodies the fair play and chivalry deeply ingrained in cricket.
This is not the first instance of Mitchell Starc issuing such a warning. A similar occurrence occurred during South Africa’s Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where the left-arm pacer cautioned Theunis De Bruyn for prematurely leaving the crease.
Mitchell Starc warns the non-striker, Kusal Perera, to stay in his crease 👀
— OneCricket (@OneCricketApp) October 16, 2023
📷 – Disney+Hotstar #AUSvsSL #MitchellStarc #WorldCup2023 pic.twitter.com/sZvXojsh8y
In 2020, during an ODI in Manchester against England, Starc chose to refrain from running out Adil Rashid in the 49th over, once again illustrating the unwritten but widely respected etiquette in the cricketing world.
As of the latest update, Kusal Perera is playing on 71 runs off 73 balls, while his partner Kusal Mendis, the man in form, is standing on the other end on 5 runs off 6 balls. Pathum Nissanka went to Pavillion after contributing 61 runs from 67 balls. Sri Lanka to a commendable 151/1 runs in 25 overs, setting the stage for a competitive battle in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
