In an explosive press conference, Angelo Mathews vented his fury at the actions of Bangladesh and captain Shakib Al Hasan, after he was given out in extraordinary fashion when his helmet strap broke as he prepared to bat. Mathews called Bangladesh’s appeal for ‘timed out’ “obviously disgraceful” and said he had “never seen a team or player stoop so low” in his 15 years in international cricket.
Strap Breaks as Mathews Readies for First Ball
The controversial incident happened during the match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Mathews was at the crease getting ready to face the bowling of Shakib Al Hasan after the previous batsman, Sadeera Samarawickrama, was dismissed. As Mathews went through his final preparations before taking guard, the strap on his helmet broke just as he tried to tighten it.
Mathews immediately called for a replacement helmet, but with the broken strap he could not safely face the bowling without head protection. While the new helmet was being brought out, Bangladesh seized the opportunity and appealed for ‘timed out’ – claiming Mathews had taken too long to be ready to face the ball.
Umpires Obliged to Uphold Time-Wasting Rule
Under ICC rules, a new batsman must be ready to receive the ball within two minutes of the previous dismissal. Around three minutes and twenty seconds had passed since Samarawickrama’s wicket when Bangladesh made their appeal. Although the umpires were aware Mathews’ delay was due to his broken equipment rather than time-wasting, they were obliged to uphold the law and gave him out ‘timed out’.
Mathews Angrily Protests to Umpires and Shakib
A furious Mathews immediately protested to the umpires and Shakib, explaining that his helmet strap had broken and it was unsafe for him to bat. He pointed out that less than two minutes had passed since the previous dismissal and that the broken strap meant he could not be “ready to receive the ball”.
Mathews pleaded with them that it was clearly an equipment malfunction and safety issue. He also argued that he still had around 5 seconds left even with the broken strap, so Bangladesh’s appeal was unjustified. However, despite Mathews’ passionate arguments, the umpires had no choice but to stick by their decision. Additionally, you can also read about- ICC World Cup 2023 Bangladesh Team Analysis [Key Players to Watch]
Shakib Declines to Withdraw Appeal Despite Mathews’ Explanations
As captain, Shakib had the power to withdraw Bangladesh’s appeal in light of Mathews’ equipment issue – but chose not to. Mathews said he cannot believe Shakib did not retract the appeal after having the situation explained to him. “I don’t think any other team would do that, because it was black and white. It was equipment malfunction. It was a safety issue as well,” said Mathews.
Mathews and Shakib react to much-discussed ‘timed out’ dismissal.#BANvSL #CWC23https://t.co/MaTvGOxMsG
— ICC (@ICC) November 6, 2023
Sri Lanka Captain Left Seething by “Disgraceful” Actions
Speaking after the match, Mathews did not hold back in his scathing criticism of Bangladesh. He labelled their actions “obviously disgraceful” and said he had “never seen a team or player stoop so low” in his 15 years in international cricket. Mathews said “If they want to take wickets like that and stoop down to that level, there’s something wrong, drastically.”
He also made his feelings clear about opposition captain Shakib. “Up to today, I had utmost respect for him and the Bangladesh team. But in my incident today, within two minutes I was clearly there. We have video evidence and we’ll put out a statement later on – I’m not just coming and saying things here. I’m talking with proof,” said Mathews.
No Handshakes from Sri Lankans After Controversial Finish
After Bangladesh claimed victory in the match, the Sri Lankan team made their displeasure evident by refusing to shake hands with the opposition. While some Sri Lanka fielders shook hands with the not-out Bangladesh batsmen, they did not go towards the Bangladesh dressing room for handshakes after the game.
Mathews explained “You need to respect people who respect us. They have to respect the game itself. We all are ambassadors of this beautiful game, including the umpires. If you don’t respect and you don’t use your common sense, what more can you ask for?”
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Former Respect for Shakib and Bangladesh Now Gone
Mathews summed up his feelings by saying “Up to today, I had utmost respect for [Shakib] and the Bangladesh team. But in my incident today, within two minutes I was clearly there.” He indicated that the actions of Shakib and Bangladesh in this case had made him lose any respect he previously had.
The bizarre dismissal and Mathews’ furious reaction has sparked a controversy that is likely to linger between the two teams. With accusations of disgraceful conduct and lack of respect being thrown around, tensions seem certain to remain high whenever these cricketing rivals meet again.
