After sealing their series victory, Sri Lanka trolled Bangladesh with the ‘time-out’ gesture.
Sri Lanka emerged victorious in the third and final T20I against Bangladesh on Saturday at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, clinching the series 2-1 with a dominant 28-run win. However, their post-match celebration sparked controversy.
Following their victory, the Sri Lankan players, including veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews, posed for a team photo with a mocking gesture – pointing to their wrists. This mimicked a ‘time-out’ signal, seemingly referencing a controversial incident from last year’s ODI World Cup.
Time out celebration 😂 pic.twitter.com/ijFTqhDu1Z
— SRI LANKA CRICKET LIONS (@slcricketlions) March 9, 2024
During the World Cup match, Mathews came to bat but noticed that his helmet strap was broken. The exchange of helmets took some time and was considered a ‘time-out’. While the exchange was happening, Shakib Al Hasan appealed for Mathews’ dismissal and the umpires upheld the appeal.
The incident sparked heated debate, with many criticizing Bangladesh for not withdrawing the appeal in the spirit of the game. Ironically, Bangladeshi pacer Shoriful Islam had also mimicked a ‘time-out’ gesture after dismissing Avishka Fernando in the first T20I of this series.
However, Bangladesh’s current captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, expressed his displeasure with Sri Lanka’s celebration. “They are yet to move on from the timed-out dismissal,” he stated. “They should move on and stay in the present since we didn’t do anything outside the rules of cricket. I think they are making a fuss of it, but we are not worried about it.” Sri Lanka assistant coach Naveed Nawaz offered a contrasting view. “I think we have moved on from that [timed-out incident]. I think it was a celebration that was misunderstood at that time. It was during the heat of the game. Both teams should forget about it.”
“I think both teams play really hard. The atmosphere is really nice. They all give their 100%. Sometimes emotions come into the middle. The players are all very friendly outside the boundary line. They fight really hard once they are inside the ground. I think that’s what the game is all about. As long as you maintain discipline in the middle and play really hard, and then cross the boundary line and be good to each other, that’s what both teams are expected to do,” he concluded.
Following their 85th T20I win, the Sri Lankan team will play against Bangladesh again in an ODI series starting on March 13th.
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Last Updated on March 10, 2024
