Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews has been adjudged timed out in a bizarre chain of events that transpired in the Sri Lanka versus Bangladesh clash during the 38th match of the ongoing World Cup 2023 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Monday, November 6.
Watch the video of Angelo Mathews' dismissal:
The dramatic event unfolded in the 25th over of the Sri Lankan innings after the fall of Sadeera Samarawickrama's wicket. As per the playing guidelines during the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023, a batter has to reach the middle and take the strike within two minutes of a dismissal.
Mathews was involved in an animated discussion with the two on-field umpires Richar Illingworth and Marais Erasmus after they ruled him timed out. Mathews was trying to explain that there was something wrong with the strap of his helmet and it led to the delay in his arrival but the Bangladesh team and skipper Shakib Al Hasan were adamant that he must be adjudged out.
As per the Marylebone Cricket Club, the custodians of the laws of cricket, "After the fall of a wicket or the retirement of a batter, the incoming batter must, unless Time has been called, be ready to receive the ball, or for the other batter to be ready to receive the next ball within 3 minutes of the dismissal or retirement. If this requirement is not met, the incoming batter will be out, Timed out."
So, notably during bilateral, tri-series and quadrangular series among others, batters are allowed three minutes to make their way into the playing field and be ready to face the ball. However, the time duration has been reduced to two minutes only for the ongoing World Cup. Interestingly, this is the first time in international cricket (men's and women's) that a batter has been ruled timed out.
Sri Lanka's playing XI vs Bangladesh:
Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (c & wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka