Angelo Mathews, the Sri Lankan cricketer, recently found himself in controversy during the World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh on November 6 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. He faced a ‘timed out’ dismissal that raised questions and ignited a dispute between Mathews and the fourth umpire.
Mathews’ Twitter Protest
4th umpire is wrong here! Video evidence shows I still had 5 more seconds even after the helmet gave away! Can the 4th umpire rectify this please? I mean safety is paramount as I just couldn’t face the bowler without a helmet
— Angelo Mathews (@Angelo69Mathews) November 6, 2023
Angelo Mathews took to Twitter to express his frustration and challenge the ‘timed out’ decision. In a tweet posted before presenting his ‘proof,’ Mathews claimed that he still had “five seconds” left when he encountered issues with his helmet. His tweet read, “4th umpire is wrong here! Video evidence shows I still had 5 more seconds even after the helmet gave away! Can the 4th umpire rectify this, please? I mean safety is paramount as I just couldn’t face the bowler without a helmet.”
The ‘Proof’
Proof! From the time catch was taken and the time helmet strap coming off pic.twitter.com/2I5ebIqkGZ
— Angelo Mathews (@Angelo69Mathews) November 6, 2023
To support his claim, Mathews shared a video as ‘proof’ that showcased the difference in time from the dismissal of Sadeera Samarawickrama to the moment when he faced an equipment malfunction. The video aimed to demonstrate that the two-minute limit had not been breached.
Fourth Umpire’s Perspective
However, the fourth umpire, Adrian Holdstock, held a different perspective on the matter. According to him, Mathews had taken longer than two minutes to address his helmet issue. As per cricket rules, a batter needs to ensure that all equipment is in place before stepping onto the field to face the ball, and this should be done within two minutes.
The ‘timed out’ dispute wasn’t limited to Mathews’ protest on social media. It spilled onto the field during the match, with Mathews engaging in discussions with the Bangladesh cricketers. He repeatedly raised the issue and expressed his disagreement with the ‘timed out’ decision while Bangladesh was batting.
After the match concluded, Mathews took his frustration to the post-match press conference. He strongly criticized Bangladesh and their skipper, Shakib Al Hasan, labeling their behavior as “disgraceful”.
In his statement, Mathews emphasized that he had adhered to the two-minute rule to prepare for his batting and blamed the dismissal on an equipment malfunction. He expressed his disappointment and disbelief at the turn of events, making it clear that he believed the ‘timed out’ decision was unjust.
