Angelo Mathews, the Sri Lankan all-rounder at the centre of a historic ‘timed-out’ dismissal controversy in the 2023 World Cup match against Bangladesh, has presented what he claims to be ‘video evidence’ challenging the umpires’ decision. The controversial incident took place in the 25th over of Sri Lanka’s innings and ignited a fierce debate within the cricketing community.
The Timed-Out Controversy
During the ODI World Cup clash, Mathews faced a peculiar equipment malfunction when the strap of his helmet broke just as he entered the crease. This unexpected issue resulted in a delay of over two minutes between the fall of the previous wicket and Mathews being ready to face the next delivery. Responding to the delay, Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan raised an appeal of ‘time out’ against Mathews, which led to the first-ever ‘timed-out’ dismissal in international cricket.
The laws of cricket stipulate that a batter must be ready to face the first ball within two minutes in World Cup matches following the dismissal of a wicket. These rules make no provision for equipment malfunctions as an exception. While some questioned whether Shakib could have withdrawn the appeal, it was later revealed that Mathews had already exceeded the allotted two minutes before encountering helmet strap issues.
Mathews Presents ‘Video Evidence’
In response to the controversy, Mathews took to social media to assert his position. He shared screenshots and time-stamped video footage to support his claims that he had more time left after the helmet malfunction than suggested by the umpires.
“4th umpire is wrong here! Video evidence shows I still had 5 more seconds even after the helmet gave away! Can the 4th umpire rectify this please? I mean safety is paramount as I just couldn’t face the bowler without a helmet,” Mathews stated in reply to an ICC article about the reactions to his dismissal.
“Proof! From the time the catch was taken and the time helmet strap coming off,” he posted along with screenshots illustrating the time difference from the moment Sadeera Samarawickrama was out to when Mathews was standing at the crease.
In a post-match press conference, Mathews stated, “Within two minutes I was there. We have video evidence. We will put out a statement later on. We have video evidence, footage, and everything was looked at. I’m not just coming and saying things here. I’m talking with proof.”
The controversy over Mathews’ timed-out dismissal has rekindled debates on player safety and the role of umpires in such situations. As the 2023 World Cup continues, cricket fans can expect further discussions and debates surrounding this unprecedented incident.
Regarding the match, Sri Lanka posted 279 runs on the scoreboard with Charith Asalanka’s century. In response, Bangladesh, led by Shakib Al Hasan’s brilliant knock of 82 off 65 balls and Najmul Shanto’s 90, secured a hard-fought victory with three wickets in hand and 8.5 overs to spare.
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