WATCH Kusal Mendis walks off without shaking hands with Bangladesh players
Kusal Mendis and the Sri Lanka team left the field without shaking hands with the Bangladesh players.
Tensions flared between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh following their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Monday. After all-rounder Angelo Mathews became the first time-out batsman in the history of international cricket, Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis and the entire team refused to take part in the customary handshake after the game with Bangladesh.
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After the BAN vs SL match, when Bangladesh secured the winning runs, the Sri Lankan players did not give a handshake or joke to the Bangladesh batsmen, specifically Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Towhid Hridoy. There was no exchange of gestures between the teams and Bangladesh made no attempt to calm the situation.
What caused the confrontation between Kusal Mendis and the Bangladesh team?
During Sri Lanka’s innings, Bangladesh captain Shakib al Hasan successfully appealed the “time limit” dismissal against Angelo Mathews.
This decision was confirmed by both the field referees and the third referee. Bangladesh eventually won the match by three wickets.
The referees clarified the rule, but Mathews disagreed and stated that he had reached the area within the two-minute time limit. He also mentioned that the strap on his helmet had broken, which he felt should be considered a safety equipment malfunction.
During Sri Lanka’s fielding innings, they greeted Shakib with a fiery reception when he came out to bat. Furthermore, when Shakib was dismissed, Mathews made a “time out” gesture by pointing at his wrist, which increased the tension. The atmosphere remained tense even after the match ended and Bangladesh emerged as winners.
As for the match, Sri Lanka’s chances of reaching the World Cup semi-finals were extinguished by Bangladesh. Bangladesh, who had already been eliminated from the semi-final, claimed a three-wicket win with 53 deliveries remaining, ending their six-match losing streak.
