Allan Donald on Mathews’ Timed Out dismissal: ‘I was dead quiet, don’t want to see things like that’

During Sri Lanka’s World Cup match against Bangladesh, Mathews was embroiled in a controversial decision after Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan appealed to the umpires for a Timed Out decision, which went in Bangladesh’s favour.

Bangladesh fast bowling coach Allan Donald during a nets session in Eden Gardens. | Photo Credit: RITU RAJ KONWAR / The Hindu

Angelo Mathew registered an unwanted record against his name as the former Sri Lanka skipper became the first batter to be Timed Out in an international match.

During Sri Lanka’s World Cup match against Bangladesh, Mathews got embroiled in a controversial decision after Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan appealed to the umpires for a Time out decision, which turned in Bangladesh’s favour.

Former South African legendary bowler Allan Donald, who has been Bangladesh’s bowling coach since 2022 has expressed his opinion on the issue.

Timed out in cricket: What is it, rules explained and has it happened before

“What just happened there? In the change room, I was dead quiet. We shook hands after the match, well, we didn’t shake hands and I knew what was going to come after Sri Lanka had fielded, it was going to be a very, very blank reception. My immediate reaction when that happened, and this is just my instincts would have taken over, was that I almost actually thought of going on the field and saying, ‘Enough’s enough, we do not stand for this. We are not that kind of team who stand for this. That was my immediate thought,” Donald told a news agency.

“Things happened so quickly, and I’m not the head coach, I’m not in charge. I just saw Marais Erasmus say, ‘Angelo, you can now depart the ground,’ and seeing Angelo picking his helmet up and throwing it against the advertising boards, I was surprised. You talk about the respect and the dignity for each other and for the game and the spirit of the game and I just don’t want to see things like that. That’s just me.

Angelo Mathews timed out in Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh World Cup match, first international cricketer ever to be dismissed this way

Donald further went on to say that the controversy ‘overshadowed’ Bangladesh’s win against Sri Lanka.

“Okay someone was sharp out there and said well, you could appeal, and this cannot be happening. But we saw it and my instincts would have immediately told me to go out there and say, ‘Hey, that’s not gonna happen.’ It really overshadowed a great win, not really, it absolutely overshadowed everything because there was a lot of niggle out there, when Sri Lanka started bowling,” he said,