Angelo Mathews from Sri Lanka has been leaving no stone unturned in proving just how mistaken the officials and Bangladesh captain, Shakib Al Hasan, were in their appeal for his dismissal during the most recent ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
In Delhi on November 6, 2023, a cricket match took place, with Bangladesh’s captain, Shakib Al Hasan, electing to bowl first after winning the toss. At the midway mark, Sri Lanka found themselves in a bit of danger, having lost their fourth wicket in the 25th over with 135 runs on the board.
During this important point, Shakib Al Hasan had just removed Sadeera Samarawickrama in that over. Angelo Mathews, the next batter in line, comfortably strolled to the crease. He prepared to face the bowler and, while adjusting his helmet, experienced a tiny difficulty — the strap snapped. Without hesitation, he indicated a replacement helmet.
As the 12th man rushed onto the field with a fresh helmet for him, Matthews received unexpected news from the umpires – Bangladesh had lodged an appeal for a “timed out,” resulting in his dismissal. In disbelief, Matthews tried to reason with the umpires and even showed the broken helmet strap as evidence, going so far as to appeal to Shakib Al Hasan. However, the Bangladeshi captain stood firm, refusing to retract the appeal. This marked an unprecedented moment in international cricket, with Mathews becoming the first player to be given out due to a timed-out decision.
Also Read: Reason Explained Why Angelo Mathews Was Given Timed Out?
To support his case, Mathews took to social media and posted a sequence of videos that presented compelling evidence, absolving him of blame. Instead, these videos pointed to errors made by the officials and even questioned the judgment of the Bangladeshi captain. The most recent video he shared depicted Mathews approaching the crease, along with a timer that measured the time it took for him to reach it.
Matthews was seen with his foot firmly planted in the crease about 1 minute and 54 seconds after the previous batsman was dismissed. As per the playing regulations of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, the incoming batter is required to reach the crease within a 2-minute timeframe following the departure of the last player.
“I rest my case! Here you go you decide,” Mathews posted on his X handle.
