During the ODI World Cup 2023, a dismissal of Sri Lanka’s Angelo mathews snowballed into a major controversy. The fashion in which the former Sri Lanka skipper was dismissed was the reason behind it. Angelo Mathews was ruled ‘timed out’ during his team’s crucial clash against Bangladesh. The incident happened on the second ball of the 25th over, bowled by Bangladesh captain Shakib al Hasan. Sadeera Samarawickrama had just been dismissed and Angelo Mathews arrived at the crease at the fall of the fourth wicket. But soon there was confusion as Mathews realised that he had brought the wrong helmet and pleaded his case with the Bangladesh players and the umpires.
The visuals showed that he was indicating that the helmet strap had come off. The damage had, however, been done by then.
The substitute player of the Sri Lanka team did run with the correct helmet. But by then, Bangladesh had already appealed for a ‘timed out’. Angelo Mathews, quite animatedly, pleaded with the umpires and Shakib al Hasan but the appeal was not withdrawn. Angelo Mathews was absolutely livid after the dismissal and threw away his helmet in frustration right after going out of the field of play.
Then, while bowling, Angelo Mathews took the wicket of Shakib Al Hasan and gestured like pointing towards his watch.
Now, during a T20I between both the teams in Sylhet on Monday, the infamous incident was revisited. It happened after Shoriful Islam gestured in exact same way after dismissing Sri Lanla’s Avishka Fernando.
Cook ’em Shoriful pic.twitter.com/x9gIq5aSAV
— Sujoy (@sujoyxx) March 4, 2024
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bowl in the first of the three-match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka in Sylhet on Monday. The series marks the start of Sri Lanka’s month-long tour of Bangladesh, which also includes three one-day internationals and two Tests.
Both teams view the series as key preparations ahead of the World Cup in June. Bangladesh have never defeated Sri Lanka in a Twenty20 series.
Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Litton Das (wk), Towhid Hridoy, Soumya Sarkar, Mahedi Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam.
Sri Lanka: Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka (capt), Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Akila Dananjaya, Binura Fernando.
With AFP inputs
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