Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka match at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 was in the headlines for veteran Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews’ stunning timed out dismissal. It was the first timed out dismissal in international cricket history.
Delhi hosted that 38th game at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. While Bangladesh chose to field first after winning the toss, they bowled out the Lankans for 279 runs.
In reply, Bangladesh clinched their second victory in this tournament after chasing down the target in 41.1 overs after losing seven wickets.
Although Sri Lankan cricketer Charith Asalanka scored a century (108 runs), Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan won the Player of the Match award for outstanding match-winning all-round performances (10-0-57-2 & 90 runs).
Article contents:
Angelo Mathews: The timed out drama
What do the laws say?
The official clarification
Timed out dismissal: how many times has it been recorded?
Angelo Mathews: The timed out drama
The timed out drama started after Sadeera Samarawickrama’s (41) dismissal in the 24.2 overs. After Samarawickrama was officially dismissed at 15:49 local time, Angelo Mathews came to bat. However, during his final preparation on the pitch before facing Shakib, the former Sri Lankan captain faced issues with his helmet as the strap was broken.
While Mathews decided to change his helmet, Chamika Karunaratne brought the replacement helmet. However, when Mathews was completing his helmet changing, the on-field umpires gave the former Sri Lankan captain timed out at 15:54 local time after the Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan’s appeal.
Mathews was shocked by that incident as he tried to explain the situation of the helmet malfunction. But he was ultimately given out.
What do the laws say?
The MCC Laws of Cricket has clear information about the timed out dismissal, which is in the following.
40.1 Out Timed out
40.1.1 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.
The official clarification of the controversial dismissal
At the end of the first innings, the fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock clarified the controversial Angelo Mathews’ timed out dismissal. There is a big confusion between the three-minute rule as per the MCC laws and the two-minute rule as per the latest ICC World Cup law.
Holdstock claimed that the batter wasn’t ready to face the first ball within the limited time, and it was considered before the helmet malfunction. However, while the MCC laws suggest that the new batter has to face the ball within three minutes of the dismissal or retirement, Holdstock claimed that the new batter should be ready to face the ball within two minutes of the dismissal or retirement, according to ICC World Cup rules.
Holdstock told Star Sports, “I just like to say that and mentioned that now ICC World Cup playing conditions, superseded the MCC laws of cricket. When it comes to timed-out – at the fall the wicket, or even the retirement of a batsman, the incoming batter has to be in position and ready to receive the ball within two minutes, always other partners to receive the ball within two minutes. And we have certain protocols here within the PCT where the TV umpire at a fall of wicket, he basically monitors the two minutes and he will then relay the message through to the on-field umpires. And in the instance, this afternoon, the batter wasn’t ready to receive the ball within those two minutes even before the strap, what became an issue for him.”
Holdstock further added, “Yeah. So the two minutes had already elapsed before he had to receive the next delivery. According to the playing conditions, the fielding captain requested or initiated the appeal to Marias Erasmus who was the standing umpire that he went to appeal for timed-out. Just off the strap came loose, the fielding captain, basically requested to appeal for timed-out.”
Timed out dismissal: How many times has it been recorded?
Angelo Mathews became the first cricketer in international cricket history to be given the timed out. However, in first-class cricket history, six players have already experienced the timed out dismissal.
