'It's disgraceful, never seen a team stoop so low': Mathews slams Bangladesh after timed-out dismissal
'It's disgraceful, never seen a team stoop so low': Mathews slams Bangladesh after timed-out dismissal
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Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews has slammed Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan and branded him as “disgraceful” after the Lankan became the first player in international cricket to be adjudged “timed out” in the 2023 Cricket World Cup match on Monday.
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“I have two minutes to get to the crease and get myself ready, which I did. And then it was an equipment malfunction. And 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 (they) stooped down to that level, I think there’s something wrong, drastically. After my helmet broke off, I still had five more seconds to go. And the umpires also have said to our coaches that they didn’t see my helmet breaking. I mean, I was just asking for my helmet,” Mathews in the post-match press conference.
Mathews was sent back without facing a single ball as he took longer than allocated two minutes to take the strike. Replays showed Mathews was at the crease within the allocated time but wasn’t ready for the strike as the strap of his helmet broke and he was busy fixing it. After Bangladesh appealed for timed out, Mathews was forced to walk back to the hut.
Read: Why Angelo Mathews was dismissed ‘Timed Out’ during BAN vs SL game?
Shakib revealed after the match that he made the appeal after the possibility of the dismissal was brought to his notice by a fielder.
“One of our fielders came to me and said if you appeal now he’ll be out. Then I appealed and the umpires asked me if I’m serious or whether I am going to take it back. It’s in the laws. I don’t know if it’s right or wrong. I was at war and I had to take a decision to make sure my team wins. Right or wrong, there will be debates but if it is in the rules I don’t mind taking those chances,” Shakib told Star Sports.
Former Sri Lanka captain Mathews also claimed that there was enough proof to show that he was at the crease within the time stipulation.
“Up till today, I had utmost respect for him [Shakib] and the Bangladesh team. Obviously, you all play to win. And if it’s within the rules, it’s fine. But the rule clearly says, in my incident today, within two minutes I was there. We have video evidence. We will put out a statement later on. We have video evidence, footage, everything was looked at. I’m not just coming and saying things here. I’m talking with proof.
“We have the video evidence where from the time the catch was taken (to dismiss Samarawickrama), and then from the time I walked into the crease, I still had five seconds after breaking my helmet. So, we talk about the safety of the players – you guys tell me if It’s right for me to take my guard without my helmet on? It’s just pure common sense,” he said. “That’s why I think the umpires also had a bigger job at the time, because they could have at least gone back and checked. So, we talk about player safety. And a wicket keeper for the spinner is not – they don’t let him keep without his helmet. So how can I take my guard without my helmet? It’s a complete equipment malfunction.”
Angelo Mathews speaks in Press conference and is whole fired up ????????#SLvBAN pic.twitter.com/GKXg8kf8UH
— Div???? (@div_yumm) November 6, 2023
Mathews was particularly angry towards Bangladesh and said that no other team would have done the same.
“Unfortunately, it happened against Bangladesh. I don’t think any other team would do that because it was black and white. It was equipment, the helmet coming off and it was a safety issue as well, because we know that without a helmet, I cannot face a bowler. And it was just there to be seen. It was not about anyone being disrespectful. Yes, Shakib had the option of (withdrawing the appeal). He knew that this was not time-wasting or I was there within my time. And he had the choice, but he decided to go the other way. And my personal opinion is, if it was any other team, they wouldn’t have done it.”
“I deeply regret the conduct of the Bangladesh team during that incident…I’m at a loss for words regarding this situation. In my 15 years of experience, I’ve never witnessed a team stoop so low.”
