Drama in Perth as Starc threatens to run Dhananjaya out twice at non-striker's end

In an interesting turn of events, Mitchell Starc warned Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya de Silva twice for backing up at the non-striker’s end during Australia’s second Super 12s clash of the T20 World Cup 2022 in Perth on Tuesday, October 25.

The moment occurred during and at the end of the fifth over of the Sri Lankan innings - Starc’s first - with the bowler involved in an extended chat with the batter.

Journalist Bharat Sundaresan detailed the series of events on Twitter: "Some drama at the end of that over. Mitchell Starc twice warning or at least remonstrating with Dhananjaya de Silva for leaving the crease too early at the non-striker’s end and the chat continued at the end of the over."

The mode of dismissal has been a major subject of debate and discussions in recent times, especially since India Women all-rounder Deepti Sharma’s act to dismiss England’s Charlotte Dean in the third and final ODI at Lord’s last month.

Starc himself had warned England skipper Jos Buttler during the third T20I in Canberra last week, while referencing Deepti in his warning. Starc's mentioning of Deepti's name had prompted criticism from several corners then.

"I'm not Deepti, but I won't do it. That doesn't mean you can leave early," Starc was caught on stump mic telling Buttler, while heading back to his bowling mark.

"I don't think I did," Buttler had responded.

As for the T20 World Cup 2022 campaign, hosts and defending champions Australia suffered an 89-run defeat to last year's finalists New Zealand in their tournament opener at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, redeemed themselves after a 55-run defeat to Namibia in Round 1, and registered back-to-back wins against the UAE and Netherlands, before outplaying Ireland in their first match of the Super 12s.

Sri Lanka were 78/2 from 12 overs at the time of writing, with opener Pathum Nissanka joined by Charith Asalanka.

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