First time in international cricket history, Angelo Mathews was dismissed ‘timed out’ during the World Cup game in Delhi between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on November 6.

SL vs BAN, ICC World Cup 2023

During the 25th over of Sri Lanka’s innings, Angelo Mathews faced a timed-out dismissal after an appeal from Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh captain. The on-field umpires double-checked with Shakib to ensure he wanted to uphold the appeal.

As per the ICC World Cup rule, the incoming batter is required to be prepared within two minutes of a dismissal or a batter retiring. This regulation was introduced for ODI cricket in June 2023. In Test matches, the equivalent time limit is three minutes, and for T20Is, it stands at 90 seconds.

SL vs BAN – Timed Out Wicket

Sadeera Samarawickrama was dismissed at 15:49 local time, as confirmed by the official scorers, and Mathews walked in at 15:50 local time. However, he was declared out at 15:54 local time since he wasn’t ready to play.

The reason is that unfortunately Mathews’s helmet strap came off when he was readying to take strike but the fourth umpire, Adrian Holdstock, revealed that the batter had exceeded the two-minute time limit by the time his equipment malfunctioned.

During this incident, it became evident that the batter was not prepared to face the incoming ball within the stipulated two-minute timeframe even before the issue with the helmet strap emerged for him,” said Holdstock. Also, Adrian Holdstock, responding to a query from ICC commentator Ian Bishop, clarified the situation. He mentioned that the fielding captain, just after the strap issue arose, initiated an appeal to Marais Erasmus. After that, the timed out dismissal was given.

Batsman Mistake Or ICC Rule Mistake?

As a batsman, it’s crucial to ensure that all your equipment is in order so you can be ready to face the ball within the prescribed two-minute timeframe. Therefore, adherence to these protocols is of utmost importance.

Following the celebration by the Bangladesh players, Mathews left the field in frustration and even requested Shakib to retract the appeal. However, Shakib remained resolute in his decision, focused on securing the wicket.

This marks the seventh occurrence of a ‘timed out’ dismissal in men’s cricket overall and notably the first time in 50-over cricket. The preceding six instances took place in first-class cricket.

PC: Cricbuzz