Deepti's 'Mankad' overshadows Goswami's India farewell

The sparkling international career of Jhulan Goswami ended in victory to India but the third ODI at Lord's ended in controversial circumstances. 

With England needing 17 runs off 39 balls to snatch an unlikely win in the final match of the series, bowler Deepti Sharma took off the bails before she bowled the ball to run out the non-striker Charlie Dean. 

There has previously been an unwritten convention to offer the batter a warning before executing a 'Mankad' dismissal, however in March the Marylebone Cricket Club announced changes to its laws of cricket that moved the tactic from the 'Unfair play' section to the 'Run out' section.

Immediately after the third umpire upheld the decision, Dean, who had made her way to 47 at number nine, threw her bat to the ground in tears as boos rang out from the crowd.

As usual, the dismissal has divided opinion. 

"Has that not just left the sourest taste in the mouth at the end of this international summer? I'm dumbfounded," England all-rounder Georgia Elwiss said on BBC Test Match Special.

But Fraser Stewart, the MCC Laws Manager, said that the batter needs to be held accountable.

"The bowler is always painted as the villain but it is a legitimate way to dismiss someone and it is the non-striker who is stealing the ground," Stewart told the Times in March.

"It is legitimate, it is a run-out and therefore it should live in the run-out section of the laws."

That final moment of madness overshadowed a fine farewell performance from 39-year-old Goswami, who finishes her ODI career as the leading wicket-taker in the format with 255 wickets in 204 matches.

She finished with figures of 2-30 from 10 overs and it looked like she might have the final say in the match as well after claiming the penultimate wicket of the match, bowling Kate Cross through the gate for 10.

Goswami's decorated career, which began for India in January 2002, ends with 12 Tests and 68 T20Is to her name, although the veteran is still undecided whether she will play on in next year's Women's IPL.

"Let that [women's IPL] announcement happen officially, and then I will decide," Goswami said.

"At this moment, I am ending my career from international cricket."

After India set 170 to win following half-centuries to Smriti Mandhana (50 off 79) and Sharma (68 not out off 106), the hosts were in all sorts of trouble when they slumped to 7-65 in their chase.

Renuka Singh ran through the top order with 4-29 from 10 overs with England heading for a meek end to the series.

Dean teamed up firstly with captain Amy Jones (28 off 50) and then Cross to drag England closer to victory.

But after a stunning catch from Harleen Deol ended Jones' innings and Cross fell as Goswami's final scalp in international cricket, the home side still needed 52.

Just as the 10th-wicket partnership of Dean and Freya Davies gave England hope, Sharma abruptly ended it in anticlimactic fashion.

The match also marks the end of Lisa Keightley's reign as England women's head coach after the 51-year-old Australian informed the ECB she wouldn't be seeking a contract extension.

Keightley has been in the role since January 2020, taking the team to the semi-final of the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup and the final of the 2022 ICC Women's World Cup.