“It was obviously disgraceful from Shakib and Bangladesh,” Mathews said after the game. “If they want to take wickets like that and stoop down to that level, there’s something wrong, drastically.
“It’s very disappointing way that Bangladesh played. If it was mankading or obstructing the field, there’s no issue. Within two minutes I was at the crease, and it was when I was at the crease that my helmet broke. The umpires saw this. I still had five seconds left. After I showed my helmet, the umpires said [Bangladesh] had appealed. So I asked where common sense was because my two minutes hadn’t passed.
“I’ve got no words to explain it. In my 15 years of playing I’ve never seen a team or a player stoop so low.
“Unfortunately [the strap breaking] happened against Bangladesh. I don’t think any other team would do that, because it was black and white. It was equipment malfunction. It was a safety issue as well. We know that without a helmet I can’t face the bowling.”
Al Hasan defended the actions saying it was within the laws of the game.
“One of our fielders came to me and said that if I appealed, he would be out, it’s in the laws,” Shakib said. “I don’t know if it’s right or wrong, (but) I felt like I was at a war so whatever I had to do, I did it.”
Mathews said his view of the Bangladesh skipper had changed.
“Up to today, I had utmost respect for him and the Bangladesh team,” Mathews said. “You all play to win. If it’s within the rules, it’s clearly fine. But in my incident today, within two minutes I was clearly there. We have video evidence and we’ll put out a statement later on - I’m not just coming and saying things here. I’m talking with proof. From the time the catch was taken to the time I walked into the crease I still had five seconds after breaking my helmet.”
Cricket World Cup 2023 results so far, schedule
Mathews, who first didn’t believe he was ruled out, was seen arguing with both onfield umpires while pointing toward the broken strap of his helmet.
Mathews also had a word with Shakib, who didn’t withdraw his appeal, before he walked back and kicked his helmet and thew his bat close to the boundary skirting in anger.
“We have certain protocols and the TV umpire monitors the two minutes,” fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock told broadcasters during the innings break. “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 (broke).”
Holdstock said that a batter has to make sure that all his equipment is in place so that he can face his first ball within two minutes.
“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,” Holdstock said.
Sri Lanka, which was put into bat, was bowled out for 279 in the final over as Charith Asalanka anchored the innings with a knock of 108.
Sri Lanka eliminated from Cricket World Cup semifinals
Sri Lanka was eliminated from World Cup semifinal contention leaving Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Afghanistan fighting for the final two semifinal spots.
Najamul Hasan Shanto, 90, and skipper Shakib Al Hasan, 82, who stood by his timed out appeal against Mathews, featured as the Bangladesh top order finally clicked to reach 282-7 in 41.1 overs.
Sri Lanka was all out for 279 and propped up by Charith Asalanka’s brilliant 108.
Mathews, as a bowler, gave Sri Lanka a sniff when he dismissed Shakib and Shanto in consecutive overs to end a beefy 169-run stand off 149 balls between the two Bangladesh left-handers, but the tailenders hung in to see them home.
Mathews should have dismissed Shakib on seven in the 11th over, but Asalanka dropped a sitter at short extra cover. Shakib and Shanto made their match-winning stand while dew was making it difficult to grip the wet ball.
Left-arm fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka picked up 3-69 to be the leading wicket-taker of the World Cup with 21 wickets.
Bangladesh won their opening game against Afghanistan then lost six consecutive games. They moved to seventh ahead of Sri Lanka on net run-rate as both teams vie for a top-seven finish to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy along with host Pakistan.
Bangladesh faces Australia in their last round-robin game on Saturday while Sri Lanka will meet New Zealand on Thursday.
