England v India: Controversial run out secures 3-0 series whitewash for visitors

It is the form of dismissal that divides opinion in cricket more than any other.

With England requiring 17 runs to win against India and with one wicket left, Charlie Dean was run out at the non-striker's end as bowler Deepti Sharma stopped in her delivery stride to take the winning wicket.

It is often informally referred to as a Mankad, after Indian batter Vinoo Mankad, who was the first player to enact the type of run out in a Test match.

The wicket was followed by plenty of debate, and took the attention away from Jhulan Goswami's farewell to international cricket and India's 3-0 one-day international whitewash of England, which culminated at Lord's as England were bowled out for 153 chasing 170.

"It divides opinion. I'm not a fan, but it is how India feel about it," said England captain Amy Jones. "It is in the rules, and hopefully it doesn't take the shine off a good summer and good series.

"Dean didn't look like getting out in any other way."

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who was named player of the series, defended her team-mate's decision.

"I thought you would ask about the first nine wickets because they were not easy to take. It's part of the game. I don't think we've done something new. It's ICC rules," she said.

"I think it shows awareness of what the batters are doing and I will back my players."

The dismissal is permitted in the laws of the game, which state: "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."

Cricket's lawmakers, the MCC, released a statement on Sunday reiterating that batters at the non-striker's end should "remain in their ground until they have seen the ball leave the bowler's hand. Then dismissals, such as the one seen yesterday, cannot happen".

It continued: "Whilst yesterday was indeed an unusual end to an exciting match, it was properly officiated and should not be considered as anything more."

The MCC has also moved the dismissal from the 'unfair play' section of the law to come under 'run out' to make clear it is legitimate, in a change that will take effect from 1 October.

However, many think the dismissal, which has only happened four times in men's ODI cricket and never before in women's, is against the spirit of cricket, with an expectation among some players that a bowler should give the batter a warning first if they feel they are wandering out of their crease.

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

"I cannot believe the Indian team felt that was the only way they were going to get a wicket. I don't think Charlie Dean was trying to gain any sort of advantage. It's ridiculous.

"For me, Harmanpreet Kaur has got to look at her side and think, 'is that how we want to win games of cricket">