Veteran Sri Lanka Angelo Mathews scripted a new text in cricket history as he became the first batter to be given out without facing a single ball in an ICC World Cup match while Bangladesh pipped the 1996 Champions by three wickets in the 38th match of the ICC World Cup at Arun Jaitley stadium here on Monday.
The 159-run third wicket partnership between Najmul Shanto 90 (102,12×4) and Shakib Ul Hassan 82 (65,12×4,2×6) enabled Bangladesh to record their only second win in this World Cup so far but they have virtually secured the place in the 2025 Champions Trophy as the top eight teams in this tournament will qualify for the Champions Trophy.
Though the match had lot of twists and turns with Sri Lankans making a dramatic fight back and claiming five Bangladesh Wickets for 59 runs the match will be remembered for a long time to come just for one incident of Mathews being timed out.
SRi Lanka bowlers were able to get rid of Bangladesh Opener T Hassan (9) and L Das (23) with score readng 2 for 47 but after that the Man of the Match Shaqib and Shantoo with their rsolute batting changed the course of the match and registered a thrilling win.
Earlier Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews was “timed out” in a rare first in the international cricket but Charith Asalanka’s (108), second ODI ton, helped Sri Lanka to score 279 in 49.3.
Opting to bowl first, Bangladesh earned a breakthrough off the last ball of the first over when Mushfiqur Rahim took a stunning catch behind the wicket to dismiss Kusal Perera (4).
However, opener Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis (19), put up a 61-run for the second wicket 10.2 overs before Shakib got rid of Kusal in his first over with the batter playing an ill-judged stroke straight to Shoriful Rahim at mid-on. Kusal faced 30 balls and hit one boundary and a six before returning to pavilion.
Pathum Nissanka 41 (36b,8×4), who looked in good nick and form, lost his focus and concentration and Tanzim Hasan Sakib cleaned bowled him, which left the islanders reeling at 72 for 3.
Charith Asalanka 108 (105,6×4,5×6)3 and Sadeera Samarwickrama 41 (42b,4×4) put on 63 runs in a resurrection act, but things turned dramatically worse for the Islanders and in Bangladesh’s way in the 25th over when Samarawickrama was caught by Mahmudullah off Shakib Ul Hassan following which Angelo Mathews was timed out for taking too much time to walk in.
The veteran Sri Lankan all-rounder took his time to walk in and then found that his helmet strap had broken and further delayed his entry. An appeal from Bangladesh followed and it was upheld with the Cricket World Cup playing conditions stating that a batter can be “timed out” if the batter is not “ready to receive the next ball within two minutes of the dismissal or retirement.”
Asalanka carried the side forward amidst the chaos with Dhananjaya de Silva, offering good support and the 6th wicket half-century stand lifted Sri Lanka out of trouble.
De Silva fell for 34 (36b,4×4) in another chaotic sequence of play. He was stumped despite Rahim removing the bails with his gloves first as the wicketkeeper could take his time and recover to remove the stumps a second time with the batter still not making an attempt to get back.
Asalanka, however, batted sensibly on the other end and scored a fine hundred with Maheesh Theekshana (21,31b,3×4) aiding him but the final flourish never arrived as they lost last three wickets for one run and finished on 279, making just 56 runs in the last 57 balls of the innings.
Sri Lanka rang in two changes with Kusal Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva coming in for Dimuth Karunaratne and Dushan Hemantha. Bangladesh made a change of their own with Tanzim Hasan Sakib replacing Mustafizur Rahman.
While the semi-finals are already out of reach for Shakib Al Hasan’s outfit, the second win in the tournament at least allow them to finish it on a high.