Angelo Mathews walked into bat at No.6 at the fall of Sadeera Samarawickrama’s wicket, but had to walk back before facing a single ball after he was timed out – a first in international cricket across all formats.
The veteran Sri Lanka all-rounder, who made a late entry to the World Cup as a replacement player, was left befuddled as Bangladesh appealed when he took time to sort an issue with his helmet. The incident happened in the 25th over of the Sri Lanka innings when Shakib Al Hasan had just dismissed Samarawickrama, caught by Mahmudullah near the rope.
Mathews took his time walking in, and then struggled with his helmet as the strap broke just as he was taking guard.
As he signalled to the dressing room for a new helmet, Shakib and the Bangladesh team appealed for a “timed out” dismissal and the umpires upheld the appeal much to Mathews’ dismay.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 playing conditions pertaining to “timed out” dismissals reads thus:
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 2 minutes of the dismissal or retirement. If this requirement is not met, the incoming batter will be out, Timed out.
With Mathews taking more than two minutes to face his first ball, he had to be sent back to the pavilion following the appeal.
It was the first time in international cricket, men’s or women’s, that a batter was dismissed according to the “timed out” law.
