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India (Commonwealth) _ Angelo Mathews of Sri Lanka described Bangladesh’s strategies “disgraceful” after becoming the first international cricketer to be timed out during Sri Lanka’s World Cup loss in Delhi.
Mathews’ ejection sparked an already tense incident after he failed to take guard in enough time after going to the crease. Mathews stormed off when Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan appealed.
Much of the delay was caused by Mathews’ helmet strap snapping as he prepared to bat, but the fourth umpire judged he had already waited too long.
“I hadn’t done anything wrong,” asserted the 36-year-old. “I had two minutes to get to the crease and prepare myself, which I did,” he claimed, before an equipment issue occurred.
I’m not sure where Shakib and Bangladesh’s common sense went because it’s plainly shameful for them to play cricket like that, he wondered. If you have to descend to that level, something is severely wrong.
“I had five seconds left after my helmet broke.” He went on to say. I’m not talking about ‘Mankading’ [running out a batter at the non-striker’s end] or obstructing the field; simply common sense. It is entirely inappropriate. We talk about player safety, but you tell me if it’s okay for me to do so. It is entirely inappropriate. We talk about player safety, but can you tell me if it’s okay for me to take my guard without my helmet? He inquired.
With Bangladesh already out and Sri Lanka requiring a miracle to advance, the focus of the match was set to be Champions Trophy qualifying, despite terrible air quality in the Indian city. All of that changed two balls into Sri Lanka’s 25th over, when Mathews stepped out following Sadeera Samarawickrama’s dismissal.
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The International Cricket Council’s World Cup regulations provide that a batsman must be ready to face the following ball within two minutes of being dismissed, and There was no indication of a problem until Mathews’ helmet’s chinstrap snapped when he tried to tighten it.
When he requested a replacement, which caused a delay, Bangladesh captain Shakib intervened, and an angry Mathews was ultimately given out.
The defeat seals Sri Lanka’s relegation from the semi-finals on the same day that the country’s sports minister, Roshan Ranasinghe, fired the national cricket body following their humbling defeat by India in their previous game.
Sri Lanka’s outrage after Mathews’ removal was palpable, with captain Kusal Mendis and coach Chris Silverwood both speaking with fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock.
Holdstock talked during the innings break and stated that the batter was not ready within those two minutes even before the strap became a concern for him, implying that the helmet delay was not the cause of his remarkable dismissal – the first in 146 years of international cricket.
Kusal Mendis, the captain of Sri Lanka, It’s quite disheartening that Angelo arrived at the crease with only around five seconds to prepare and discovered that his helmet strap had come undone.
“Because it was an equipment failure, I’m disappointed that the umpires couldn’t react and use common sense.” It’s terrible that it happened at such a critical juncture.”
Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan stated, “I felt like I was in a war, so I had to make a decision to ensure my team’s victory, so whatever I needed to do, I had to do.” There will be disputes, right or wrong. But if it’s within the regulations, he doesn’t mind taking such risks, he says.
With the event raising eyebrows and sparking controversy among cricket fans, a few resorted to Twitter to criticize Bangladesh’s lack of sportsmanship.
Usman Khawaja, an Australian cricketer, took to X and said, Angelo made his crease, then his helmet strap snapped. How does that expire? I’m okay for him being timed out if he doesn’t make his crease, but this is ridiculous. It’s no different than a batsman arriving at the crease and then taking three minutes to face up. While another netizen, Pravin Choudhari, labeled Shakib’s actions “SHAMEFUL!” Angelo Mathews was fastening the HELMET when the strip snapped, thus SHAKIB requested TIMED OUT. UMPIRE Erasmus validated the appeal with Shakib, and Matthews was finally OUT. Angelo did not intend for this to happen to Shakib!
