With South Africa needing seven runs from four balls for victory against England in their first match at the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup, Katherine Brunt ran in to bowl at Mignon du Preez.

But it was the non-striker who caught Brunt’s attention. With Sune Luus firmly out of the crease before Brunt had shaped up to release her delivery, the fast bowler pulled out of her stride to seemingly signal a warning to Luus that she could have been Mankaded. Brunt made no attempt, however, to remove the bails at the non-striker’s end. 

The mode of dismissal is covered by Law 41.16, which states: “If the non-striker is out of his/her ground at any time from the moment the ball comes into play until the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the non-striker is liable to be run out.

“In these circumstances, the non-striker will be out run out if he/she is out of his/her ground when his/her wicket is put down by the bowler throwing the ball at the stumps or by the bowler’s hand holding the ball, whether or not the ball is subsequently delivered.”

It was Brunt who could have been on the end of a Mankad dismissal herself while batting during England’s innings. During the 17th over of the innings, Ayabonga Khaka pulled out of her delivery stride when Brunt was backing up at the non-strikers end. 

When Brunt did finally run in to bowl the third ball of the game’s final over, du Preez launched her for six to level the scores, with a boundary sealing the win a ball later.