Angelo Mathews hits back at 4th umpire, shares evidence of getting to crease in time after timed out controversy

Putting out two screenshots from the match footage on social media, the Sri Lanka all-rounder said that he still had five seconds before the two-minute window lapsed.

Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews walks off the field after he was declared timed out during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. | Photo Credit: AP

Angelo Mathews, on Tuesday, criticised the fourth umpire during Sri Lanka’s World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh, Adrian Hodstock,and claimed that he was ready to face the next delivery within the ICC’s stipulated time period of two minutes.

“In this instance, the batter wasn’t ready within those two minutes even before the strap became an issue for him. The two minutes had already elapsed,” Hodstock had said during the mid-innings break on Monday.

Proof! From the time catch was taken and the time helmet strap coming off pic.twitter.com/2I5ebIqkGZ

— Angelo Mathews (@Angelo69Mathews) November 6, 2023

Putting out two screenshots from the match footage on social media, one of Sadeera Samarawickrama’s dismissal and the other of his helmet’s strapping coming off, marked with time stamps, the Sri Lanka all-rounder said that he still had five seconds before the two-minute window lapsed.

Mathews also posted a video which timed his walk from the dugout to the crease the delay that followed due the problem with the helmet.

I rest my case! Here you go you decide 😷😷 pic.twitter.com/AUT0FGffqV

— Angelo Mathews (@Angelo69Mathews) November 7, 2023

Samarawickrama’s dismissal was completed at 15:48:50 while Mathews’ helmet gave away at 15:50:45. “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,” Mathews said in a statement.

According to the ICC laws, after the fall of a wicket or the retirement of a batter, the incoming batter must be ready to receive the ball within two minutes of the dismissal or retirement.

After Shakib Al Hasan appealed for Mathews not making it to the crease on time, the umpires gave him Timed Out, making him the first player in the history of international cricket to be dismissed that way.