In a dramatic turn of events during the ICC World Cup 2023, Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews made history by becoming the first player in international cricket to be given a “timed out” dismissal. The incident occurred during the match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on November 6 in New Delhi, which led to heated confrontations and controversies.
Angelo Mathews’ Equipment Malfunction Leads to Controversial Dismissal
Angelo Mathews faced equipment trouble when his helmet strap broke while preparing to face his first delivery. Although a replacement helmet was fetched, more than three minutes passed, exceeding the stipulated two-minute rule to face the next ball.
Captain Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh lodged an appeal with the umpires, Marais Erasmus and Richard Illingworth, who upheld the appeal, resulting in Mathews’ dismissal. Angelo expressed his frustration by visibly displaying his dismay, throwing away his helmet and bat as he left the pitch.
Angelo Mathews Expresses Frustration and Questions Sportsmanship
Following the controversial dismissal, Mathews openly criticized Bangladesh’s sportsmanship and questioned the application of “common sense.” He said, “I don’t know where the common sense went because it’s obviously disgraceful from Shakib and Bangladesh. If they want to play cricket like that, obviously stooped out to that level, I think there’s something wrong drastically.”
The incident escalated tensions between the Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi players, with the Sri Lankan captain Kusal Mendis and his team opting not to participate in the customary post-match handshakes. Mathews defended this decision, saying, “You need to respect people who respect us. We all are ambassadors of this beautiful game, including the umpires. So, then, if you don’t respect and if you don’t use your common sense, what more can you ask for?”
Shakib later revealed that Mathews had asked him to withdraw the appeal, but Shakib chose not to do so, understanding the situation.
Understanding the “Timed Out” Rule in Cricket
The “timed out” rule, as per MCC regulations, states that the incoming batter must be ready to receive the ball or for the other batter to be ready to receive the next ball within three minutes of the dismissal or retirement of a wicket. Failure to meet this requirement results in the incoming batter being declared “timed out.”
Sri Lanka claims to have video evidence to support their assertion that Mathews was at his crease on time, challenging the decision by highlighting that the helmet issue arose within the final seconds of the permitted two-minute interval.
This historic incident took place amid severe air pollution levels in New Delhi, raising concerns about the match’s feasibility. The notorious air pollution had prompted the ICC to seek advice from a pulmonologist to ensure the game took place as scheduled, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) near the venue reaching close to 400.
In terms of team changes, Tanzim Hasan replaced Mustafizur Rahman in the Bangladesh playing XI, and in the Sri Lankan lineup, Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Perera came in for Chamika Karunaratne and Dushan Hemantha.
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