Hardik Pandya's hard-hitting statement on non-striker run out rule: 'If I'm out of my crease and someone runs me out...'
On Tuesday, India all-rounder Hardik Pandya spoke on the run-out law and made a hard-hitting statement on it.
Non-striker run-out rule has been part of the laws of the game for a long time and ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup, ICC had announced a new set of rules where it was moved from the 'Unfair Play' section and is now considered a legitimate run-out. Yet, a few days later when India's Deepti Sharma had followed the cricket laws to run out England's Charlotte Dean, cricket fraternity was left divided over 'Spirit of Cricket' debate while also criticising the law. On Tuesday, India all-rounder Hardik Pandya spoke on the run-out law and made a hard-hitting statement on it.
Speaking on the latest episode of 'ICC Review', Hardik opined that the debate over this law should stop and that if someone ever inflicts a similar dismissal on him, he would accept it as a "mistake".
"We need to stop making a fuss about this running out the non-striker. It is a rule, as simple as that. To hell with the spirit of the game, if it is there, it is there. Personally, I have no problem with it. If I am out of my crease, and someone runs me out, it is fine. It is my mistake," Hardik said.
The India all-rounder also spoke about match-ups in T20 cricket and explained why he felt it was "over-rated".
"Matchups don't work for me, see where I bat and the situation I get into, I do not get the option of matchups. You see matchups are more for the people who are batting in Top 3 or 4. For me, it is just the situation. There have been times, when I would like to take on a bowler, but if the situation does not demand it, I do not take that risk as it is going to harm my team," said Hardik.
"I am never okay with that. Matchups, it is over-rated. I do not mind saying it, in T20 cricket, it is over-rated. In ODIs and Tests, it might work but in T20s, I do not believe it. Yes, I have not won a World Cup, but I have won other tournaments and I do not think I have ever worried about matchups," he added.
