Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar criticized Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan over his decision to appeal for “timed out” dismissal of Sri Lankan veteran Angelo Mathews in the crucial match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
The Bangla Tigers scripted history by dismissing the experienced Mathews in a “Timed Out” manner, which once again sparked a wide range of controversy about the spirit of cricket. The appeal by Shakib Al Hasan was upheld by umpires Richard Illingworth and Marais Erasmus, resulting in Mathews’ dismissal from the match.
In the history of International Cricket, the veteran batsman from Sri Lanka became the first person to be “timed out.” It appears that an equipment malfunction caused Angelo’s helmet strap to snap as he was preparing for his first delivery. It took longer to confront the next ball than the allotted two minutes, which led to his dismissal from the match.
Speaking on his YouTube Channel, Even though it complies with the regulations, Shoaib Akhtar believes that Shakib Al Hasan should have refrained from appealing since it does not seem to reflect the spirit of cricket.
Very much against spirit of cricket. I know its in the rule book but since no one has ever appealed before, Shakib could have avoided this too. #TimeOut
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) November 6, 2023
“Very much against the spirit of cricket. I know it’s in the rule book but since no one has ever appealed before, Shakib could have avoided this too,” Shoaib Akhtar wrote on his X Handle.
The cricket experts and fans were divided in conversation after his shocking dismissal. Even though everything proceeded according to the rules, many felt that it went against the spirit of the game and they chastised Shakib for not withdrawing the appeal.
All-rounder Angelo Mathews of Sri Lanka submitted screenshots of “visual proof” to challenge the umpires’ decision to dismiss him from the high-octane game. The veteran shared the video evidence of him having more than five seconds after the helmet and asked for clarification from the umpire regarding his dismissal in the crucial match.
“4th umpire is wrong here! Video evidence shows I still had 5 more seconds even after the helmet gave away! Can the 4th umpire rectify this, please? I mean safety is paramount as I just couldn’t face the bowler without a helmet,” Shoaib Akhtar added.
Shakib Al Hasan was correct to file an appeal because the game’s rules clearly state that the batter must be ready to face the first ball within three minutes of the last dismissal but the spirit of the cricket was up for debate following the controversial dismissal of Angelo Mathews.
