Angelo Mathews’ timed-out dismissal ignited the simmering rivalry but Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan had the last laugh | Cricket-world-cup News

With both teams out of World Cup semifinal contention, and much of the buildup highlighted the toxic air around the smog-filled cauldron of the Kotla, the latest edition to the fey cricket rivalry between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka seemed to be heading down an eventless path midway through the first innings. All of a sudden, it got its moment of animosity.Angelo Mathews’ timed out dismissal will cause much debate. Over the ‘spirit of cricket’ after Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan appealed for the decision – which was well within the rules – when Mathews seemed to have a problem with his helmet. Over Mathews’s lack of awareness of the rules. Over the rules themselves, as a batsman’s malfunctioning equipment led to his dismissal without facing a ball.

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What is not up for debate though is that the episode breathed life into the match, lighting the fire in Sri Lanka’s middle order to toil to a total of 279, thanks to a hard-fought, well-paced ton Charith Asalanka. But if the victimhood galvanised Sri Lanka, it was Bangladesh, and chiefly Shakib, that were fired up in the role of perceived villainy.

The narrative thickened in the second innings; Mathews’ resentful energy heightened the bad blood between the two teams – and there had been plenty in the recent past; Shakib fed off it; a noisy Delhi crowd got involved. Dilshan Madhushanka cleaned up Bangladesh’ openers with his swing-seam mastery, and brought Shakib into the middle early. In Mathews’ first over right after the powerplay, having already been beaten once, Shakib charged down the ground and mimed his heave to short cover, where Asalanka dropped him.
the time Mathews did get his moment of reckoning, getting Shakib’s wicket in the 32nd over and hilariously gesturing to an imagined watch on his hand, the damage had been done.

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The skipper had gone on to hit a 65-ball 82, put up a 169-run fourth-wicket partnership with Najmal Hossain Shanto, and taken the match away from the Lankans. “I appealed and the umpires asked me if I’m serious or whether I am going to take it back. It’s in the laws. I don’t know if it’s right or wrong. I was at war and I had to make a decision to make sure my team wins. Right or wrong, there will be debates but if it is in the rules I don’t mind taking those chances. That (altercation with Mathews) helped, bit more fight, I’m 36 and normally fight doesn’t come easily but happy it did today,” Shakib would say later.
Pollution had played a big role in the buildup to the game, and Monday was the fifth consecutive day AQI levels were in the ‘severe’ category in the capital. The ICC, BCCI, and DDCA had consulted a pulmonolog for any necessary measures, including use of sprinklers around the premises and air purifiers in indoor areas to bring the AQI down. A sunny afternoon helped, but even as the toxic haze became more prominent under the floodlights, a sizable crowd settled the evening to watch Shakib and Shanto toy with the Sri Lankan bowling attack.
Mathews’ breakthroughs – he bowled out Shanto shortly after Shakib – triggered a mini-collapse, but Bangladesh got over the line with nine overs to spare to win their 10th ODI against Sri Lanka on the 53rd outing, and first at a World Cup. They bounced back from six consecutive defeats, and kept their hopes to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy, finishing in the top 8, alive.
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Asalanka toils in vain
Asalanka walked into a semi-crisis at 72/3 in the 13th over and once Sadeera Samarawickrama and Mathews both departed on the same ball, he was staring at a full-blown crisis. While Asalanka may not be the most aesthetically-pleasing of batsmen, there is no denying his effectiveness in the middle order of ODIs like this, the kind that are withering away as this format loses its popularity. Quietly, he has built a formidable record as Sri Lanka’s number 5. In this World Cup cycle – between 2019 till present – no other batsman in world cricket has scored more runs than him at number 5, a record even more remarkable since he made his international debut in the middle of 2021. He may have played more innings than some others, but 10 fifties and 2 centuries, averaging 43.65, tells the story of a typically reliable batsman.
And his innings on Monday only strengthened that story. It was throwback middle-order batting, keeping the scoreboard ticking even as pressure mounted. Not letting boundaries dry up too much, and resing the urge for big shots when those in the tail started slogging. He was 63 from 64 balls, and then 80 off 90. In between, there was only one boundary. Without Asalanka’s crucial innings, Sri Lanka could not have been in with a fighting chance. But on a belter of a wicket, with plenty of dew coming in as the evening set, the total would be nowhere close to enough. Madhushanka’s brilliance with the new ball was negated the dew, and Mathews’ frantic energy could only do so much.
In the larger context of the tournament, the match may have been merely procedural. But the timed out controversy will keep the rivalry between these two teams simmering.