- By Manik Sharma
- Tue, 07 Nov 2023 07:37 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
In a thrilling encounter at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium during the Cricket World Cup 2023, Bangladesh clinched a heart-pounding three-wicket victory against Sri Lanka. However, it was not the outcome of the match that stole the spotlight, but the controversial 'Time Out' dismissal of Angelo Mathews that took centre stage.
Following the match, both Shakib Al Hasan and Mathews faced a barrage of questions regarding this incident. Shakib Al Hasan, the captain of Bangladesh, described feeling as though he was "at war" when he decided to approach the umpire and request that Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews be declared 'timed out' for not being prepared to face the ball within two minutes of a wicket falling.
The incident unfolded in the 25th over when Mathews came out to bat after the dismissal of Sadeera Samarawickrama. To his dismay, Mathews discovered that his helmet strap was broken, prompting him to signal for a replacement.
This action led Bangladesh to lodge an appeal for a 'time out.' Mathews engaged in a spirited discussion with the umpires, explaining the issue with his helmet strap. He also approached Shakib, who chose not to withdraw his appeal, ultimately resulting in Mathews having to leave the field.
"I felt like I was at war. Whatever I had to do, I did it. There will be debates. Today that (the time out) helped, I won't deny that!" Shakib said during the post match presentation.
"One of our fielders came to me and said that if I appealed, he (Mathews) would be out. The umpire asked me if I was serious. It's in the laws; I don't know if it's right or wrong,"Shakib added.
ALSO READ: SL vs BAN: Cricket Fraternity Reacts To Angelo Mathews' ‘Time Out’ Dismissal, Label It ‘Pathetic’
Mathews became the first batter to be timed out in international cricket as Bangladesh officially knocked Sri Lanka out of the World Cup.
"I haven't done anything wrong. I had two minutes to get ready which I did but there was an equipment malfunction and I don't know where commonsense (had) gone. It was disgraceful from Shakib and Bangladesh," Mathews said during the post-match press conference.
"It was just pure commonsense, I am not saying (doing) 'Mankading' or obstructing the field here, It is absolutely disgraceful," Mathews expressed his frustration.
"You want to respect people who respect us. We are all ambassadors of this beautiful game. If you don't respect and use your commonsense then what more you can ask for," Mathews said on not shaking hands with Bangladesh players.
"In my 15 years, I have never seen a team going down to this level. Obviously umpires could have checked upstairs (with the TV umpire). I'm not saying that if I would have been there I would have won the match,’’ Mathews clarified.
With this loss in the tie, Sri Lanka dropped to the eighth spot in the points table and are out of the World Cup. While Bangladesh were already out of contention for the semi final spots, they are eyeing for a strong finish to qualify for the Champions Trophy 2025.