World Cup ‘timed out’ dismissal row divides cricket

COLOMBO: Cricket´s “timed out” controversy split the game on Tuesday as Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan headed for home nursing a broken finger and battered reputation.

Shakib was branded “disgraceful” by Sri Lanka batsman Angelo Mathews after he became the first player in the 146-year history of international cricket to be given timed out. Mathews had exceeded the two minutes allowed for a batsman to take strike as he attempted to secure the strapping on his helmet.

Shakib, who on Tuesday was ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a broken finger, refused to withdraw the appeal, explaining: “I had to take a decision to make sure that my team wins and whatever I had to do, I have to do it”.

“I think Shakib will also be asked the question of whether a batsman like Mathews needed to be dismissed like this at that time,” Bangladesh´s former ODI captain Gazi Ashraf Hossain wrote in Dhaka´s Prothom Alo daily on Tuesday.

However, India´s veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle said the issue was not about cricket´s rules. “Let us leave the spirit of cricket out of this,” Bhogle wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “It is a weak argument often used by those that are ignorant or at the wrong end of a mistake. There are laws and you play within them.”

“Beyond that, how to play the game is an individual choice. Mathews and Sri Lankan fans can be disappointed and angry but, as per the laws of the game, he was out.” Ex-Bangladesh captain, turned match referee, Raqibul Hassan backed Shakib.

“Shakib made an appeal and the umpires gave their decision -- as long as it is within the laws, I don´t see any problem,” Hassan told AFP. But former Bangladesh opener Javed Omar criticised Shakib for not withdrawing his appeal. “The rule was set so that no one could take any unfair advantage,” said Javed, who played 40 Tests and 59 One-day Internationals for Bangladesh.