Bizarre history made as Sri Lanka star timed out in World Cup drama

Bizarre cricket history has been made in the clash between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and many were left seething.

Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews has made unfortunate cricketing history, becoming the first player to be timed out at the international level.

Mathews was coming into bat with Sri Lanka 135-4 after 24.2 overs against Bangladesh, but due to a helmet issue was slow to take the crease.

While the 12th man ran to retrieve a new helmet, time continued to tick by - and well over three minutes after the previous wicket, Mathews and the umpires were still in discussions.

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But Bangladesh had appealed and, with the talks dragging on longer than the period Mathews actually had to make it to the crease, the umpires had to time him out - with Mathews losing his wicket without facing a ball.

“Oh dear, oh dear,” one of the commentators said.

“Given out without facing a ball! Timed out!”

Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews was timed out against Bangladesh.

After a long period of uncertainty, one of the commentators took it a step further once everyone realised what had happened, stating captain Shakib Al Hasan should not have appealed.

“That’s against the spirit of the game, that’s what I feel about this,” he said.

“They shouldn’t have been appealing because he was on the field. If something goes wrong with the helmet, he should be allowed to change it or be allowed to fix it.

“This is the first time we’ve seen this in the history of the game.

“It’s not good, it’s not good scenes, I must say that.”

MCC Rule 40.1.1 states: “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.”

When you have those nightmares before a game, it’s never the helmet strap, is it? #CWC23#BANvSL

— Andrew Wu (@wutube) November 6, 2023

Timed OUT for helmet issues .. that’s a new one .. #CWC2023

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) November 6, 2023

Angelo Mathews has become the first batter in international cricket to be given out 'timed out'.

Remarkable scenes in Delhi 😮#BANvsSL#CWC2023pic.twitter.com/um9R5x90bP

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) November 6, 2023

The rule has been in place since 1980, when batters were given two minutes to “step on to the field of play”, though the very first printed laws of cricket made reference to players being given two minutes “to come in when one is out”.

Six players are known to have been timed out in first-class cricket, most recently Zimbabwe’s Charles Kunje for Matabeleland Tuskers against Mountaineers at Bulawayo in 2017-18.

While neither Sri Lanka or Bangladesh are in realistic contention to make the semi-finals of the World Cup, a win for Bangladesh could ensure England misses out on the Champions Trophy.

The top eight World Cup group stage finishers will qualify for the event. Bangladesh and England are currently 9th and 10th with 1-6 records, split by net run rate, with Sri Lanka and the Netherlands 7th and 8th with 2-5 records.

Originally published as Bizarre history made as Sri Lanka star timed out in World Cup drama