“Once bitten, twice shy." This phrase is used “when you are frightened to do something again because you had an unpleasant experience doing it the first time.” Surely after Cameroon women's team bowler Maeve Douma inflicted the first ‘Mankad’ during their match against Uganda, the other batters would have realized that they will pay the price if they back up too far. However, and as it turned out, they didn't quite learn the lesson as they ended up getting “bitten” four times in a single game.
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The string of bizarre incidents took place on Sunday during the Group B clash of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifier in Gaborone, Botswana. Sixteen-year-old pacer Douma ran riot during the Ugandan innings by inflicting four ‘Mankads’.
WATCH VIDEO: 1,2,3,4! Cameroon bowler runs riot with 4 ‘Mankads’
Douma, on the second ball of her first spell, had clean bowled Prosscovia Alako to pick up her first wicket. The procession, however, began in her second spell. The first victim was Kevin Awino, who was dismissed on the third delivery of the 16th over for 34. Three balls later, Uganda saw the back of Rita Musamali (59) as she was run-out in the same fashion.
{{/usCountry}}Douma, on the second ball of her first spell, had clean bowled Prosscovia Alako to pick up her first wicket. The procession, however, began in her second spell. The first victim was Kevin Awino, who was dismissed on the third delivery of the 16th over for 34. Three balls later, Uganda saw the back of Rita Musamali (59) as she was run-out in the same fashion.
{{/usCountry}}Douma wasn't done yet.
In the final over of the innings, Immaculate Nakisuuyi (21) and Janet Mbabazi (5) met the same fate as Douma helped Cameroon peg back Uganda and restrict them to 190/6 in 20 overs.
The four ‘Mankads’ however did not help much as Cameroon were bowled out for a paltry 35 in 14.3 overs, slumping to a 155-run defeat. Douma scored just 1 run.
This form of dismissal has often sparked a raging debate on social media. The most famous incident of ‘Mankading’ took place during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match in 2019 when Kings XI Punjab bowler R Ashwin dismissed Rajasthan Royals batsman Jos Buttler.
Whether ‘Mankading’ is within the “spirit” of the game is a debate that continues to rage on.