When David Warner danced down the track to a Mohammed Hafeez delivery which bounced twice, he hit the unwritten norms of ‘spirit of cricket’ for a six. At least that’s what many cricket enthusiasts said on social media. But there were of course others who believed in the opposite.

The incident happened in the eighth over of Australia’s run chase against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup semi-final on Thursday. The ball obviously slipped from spinner Hafeez’s hand and Warner, who contributed 49 off 30 balls in Australia’s win, swung it over deep mid-wicket for a six. The umpire, going by the laws of the game, called it a no-ball.

Warner was well within his rights to go for that shot off a ball which bounced twice. The MCC’s Law 21.7 states that if the ball “bounces more than once or rolls along the ground before it reaches the popping crease”, the umpire “shall call and signal No ball”. All cricketing shots are legitimate off a no-ball, unless it’s a dead ball.

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir sarcastically posted a tweet on the incident and tagged Ravichandran Ashwin. “What an absolutely pathetic display of spirit of the game by a Warner! #Shameful What say @ashwinravi99?” Gambhir tweeted.

Ashwin has been at the centre of numerous ‘spirit of cricket debates’ because of his ‘Mankading’ acts.

With some having difficulty in understanding Gambhir’s sarcasm and calling it a “bad take”, Ashwin simplified it. “His point is that if this is right, that was right. If that was wrong, this is wrong too. Fair assessment?” tweeted the off-spinner, also adding: “Absolutely it was a wonderful hit by @davidwarner31. Great shot.”

Ashwin had been criticised by former Australian greats Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne in the past. Gambhir, during a show after Thursday’s Australia-Pakistan match, took a dig at them too. “When Ashwin ‘Mankads’, you get to hear all sorts of big talk — what does Warne have to say about Warner today?”