Explained: Why Angelo Mathews was dismissed before facing a ball
Mathews walked in to 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.
Mathews was seen deep in discussion with Bangladesh and the umpires, but the appeal was not withdrawn and Mathews had to walk back dismayed.
The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 playing conditions pertaining to "timed out" dismissals reads thus:
40.1.1After 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 even before the strap came off, he had to be sent back to the pavilion following the appeal.
The fourth official, Adrian Holdstock, explained the dismissal and the laws pertaining to it during the innings break.
"The ICC World Cup playing conditions supersede the MCC laws of cricket," Holdstock explained.
"We have certain protocols and the TV umpire monitors the two minutes. He will then relay the message through to the on-field umpires and in the instance this afternoon, the batter wasn't ready to receive the ball within those two minutes even before the strap, what became an issue for him, [broke]."
When asked whether equipment failure could have been considered, Holdstock explained further that the batter had to ensure all of it was proper before stepping in.
"I think you need to make sure that you have all your equipment in place in order to make sure you get here because you actually have to be ready to receivethe ball in within two minutes, not ready to prepare or take your guard. So technically you should be there within maybe 15 seconds to make sure all those things are in place before you actually receive the ball."
It was the first time in international cricket, men's or women's, that a batter was dismissed according to the "timed out" law.
In 2007, Sourav Ganguly was nearly timed out in a Test match against South Africa after he took more than six minutes to step out following a bizarre sequence of events. Then South Africa skipper Graeme Smith decided not to appeal and Ganguly went on to bat.
Sachin Tendulkar, who was slotted to come in at No.4, couldn’t bat yet, because he had been off the field during South Africa’s innings. VVS Laxman, meanwhile, was believed to be in the shower which meant Ganguly, who was unprepared for the event, had to rush out at No.4.
While the Mathews incident is a first in international cricket, there have been six instances of batters being timed out in first-class cricket.
Digital Daily looks at Bangladesh defeating Sri Lanka during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, with former Bangladesh batter Athar Ali Khan and ICC Digital Insider Ridhima Pathak