In a recent World Cup match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, cricket fans witnessed a captivating incident that has stirred debate within the cricketing community. Sri Lankan batsman Angelo Mathews, newly at the crease, found himself in a peculiar situation that resulted in a highly disputed ‘timed out’ dismissal.
The pivotal moment unfolded when Mathews needed to adjust the strap of his helmet. In his attempt to do so, he unintentionally broke the helmet strap. Recognizing the issue with his protective headgear, Mathews signaled for a replacement helmet. However, it was precisely at this juncture that Bangladesh’s captain, Shakib Al Hasan, decided to request a timeout.
Following the rules and regulations of the game, the umpires made a decisive call and declared Mathews “timed out.” This ruling marked the first known instance of a batsman being given out in international cricket due to this specific rule.
The rule in question dictates that when a wicket falls or a batsman retires in cricket, the incoming batsman must be prepared to face the next ball within a specific time limit. According to the Laws of Cricket, as established by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the time limit is set at three minutes:
A Timed Out Dismissal Like Never Before
After 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 3 minutes of the dismissal or retirement. If this requirement is not met, the incoming batter will be out, Timed out.”
In the event of an extended delay where no batter comes to the wicket, the umpires shall adopt the procedure of Law 16.3 (Umpires awarding a match). For the purposes of that Law, the start of the action shall be taken as the expiry of the 3 minutes referred to above.
Furthermore, if the incoming batsman is not ready within this duration, or if the batsman at the non-striker’s end is unprepared, the bowling team can appeal, resulting in the declaration of the new batsman being ‘out of time.’
However, for the World Cup 2023, a more stringent time limit of two minutes is enforced. The official rule now states, “After a wicket falls or a batsman retires, the incoming batsman or other batsman at the crease must be ready to play the next ball within 2 minutes. Failure to comply will result in the new batsman being declared ‘out of time.'”
The controversial ‘timed out’ dismissal of Angelo Mathews has sparked discussions about the practicality and fairness of this rule in high-stakes cricket matches. As cricket enthusiasts and experts continue to analyze this incident, it remains to be seen how this particular regulation will adapt to the ever-changing landscape of international cricket.
