Cricket

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has urged Sri Lanka to move on from the controversial timed-out incident that occurred during the 2023 World Cup. Shanto's comments came after Sri Lanka's victory in the third T20I in Sylhet, where the visitors sealed the series 2-1.During the post-match celebrations, Sri Lankan players made a collective gesture of pointing to their watches, a reference to the incident where Angelo Mathews became the first player ever timed out in international cricket. Mathews had criticized Shakib Al Hasan for appealing for the dismissal, and the gesture has since become a symbol of the rivalry between the two teams.In the first T20I of the series, Shoriful Islam used the same gesture after taking Sri Lanka's first wicket. In the third T20I, Sri Lankan fielders targeted Towhid Hridoy after his dismissal, leading to an angry exchange.Shanto expressed his disappointment with Sri Lanka's continued focus on the timed-out incident. "They haven't moved on from the timed-out incident," he said. "They should stay in the present. We were within the rules. They are in a frenzy about it."Sri Lankan assistant coach Naveed Nawaz downplayed the significance of the gesture, stating that it was a celebration that was misunderstood. He emphasized that the two teams have a good relationship off the field.Kusal Mendis, who scored a career-high 86 in the match, also addressed the issue. "I don't know why someone was doing the timed-out celebrations," he said. "We can celebrate our own things."Despite the controversy, Mendis denied that Sri Lanka felt vindicated by winning the series after the controversial overturning of Soumya Sarkar's dismissal in the previous game. "Everyone can make a mistake," he said. "Our team isn't thinking about it too much."

Bangladesh's Rishad Hossain struck a crucial blow in the third and final Twenty20 against Sri Lanka, dismissing Kamindu Mendis for 14 runs. The wicket came in the eighth over, with Mendis attempting an ambitious over-the-top shot that was caught by long off.Earlier, Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis had provided some momentum with a six off Hossain in the seventh over. However, Hossain's timely wicket prevented a further surge in the Lankan innings.Mahedi Hasan also played a key role for Bangladesh, bowling a tidy over in the sixth over, conceding just three runs. Hasan's efforts helped restrict Sri Lanka to a modest total in the Powerplay.Sri Lanka's innings got off to a shaky start, with Taskin Ahmed dismissing Dhananjaya de Silva for 10 runs in the third over. Kamindu Mendis and Kusal Mendis then steadied the ship with a 30-run partnership, but Hossain's wicket broke the momentum.Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bowl first, hoping to exploit the conditions. Sri Lanka made three changes to their lineup, bringing in Dhanajaya de Silva, Nuwan Thushara, and Wanindu Hasaranga.Bangladesh fielded an unchanged squad, looking to secure a series victory after winning the first two matches. The third and final T20 will determine the series winner.

Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, opted to bowl first in the third and decisive ODI against Sri Lanka at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. The decision mirrored Shanto's choices in the previous two matches, which resulted in a 1-1 series tie.Sri Lanka's captain, Wanindu Hasaranga, who returned from a two-match suspension, echoed Shanto's decision, stating that he would have also chosen to bowl first if he had won the toss.The Bangladesh team remained unchanged, while Sri Lanka made three alterations to their lineup. Avishka Fernando, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dilshan Madushanka were replaced by Hasaranga, Dhananjaya de Silva, and Nuwan Thushara.The series is evenly poised at 1-1, making the third match crucial for both teams. Bangladesh's batting lineup features Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Soumya Sarkar, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Jaker Ali, Taskin Ahmed, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, and Shoriful Islam.Sri Lanka's batting order includes Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Binura Fernando, and Nuwan Thusara.The match promises to be an exciting contest, with both teams eager to secure the series victory.

Sri Lanka's frustration boiled over in the second T20I against Bangladesh after a controversial decision by third umpire Masudur Rahman overturned an on-field call.In the fourth over of Bangladesh's chase, opener Soumya Sarkar was adjudged out by umpire Sharfuddoula for edging a short delivery from Binura Fernando behind. Sarkar immediately reviewed the decision, but began walking off the field when the big screen displayed a clear spike on Ultra-edge.However, Rahman ruled that the spike was not caused by bat on ball, claiming there was a "clear gap" between the bat and the ball when the spike appeared. While there was a slight misalignment, it is customary in such situations to give the batter out, attributing the discrepancy to calibration differences in the technology.The lack of an alternative source for the spike further perplexed the Sri Lankan team. When Rahman communicated the overturned decision to the on-field umpire, Sri Lanka's players erupted in protest, surrounding Sharfuddoula and questioning the call. Coach Chris Silverwood also approached the fourth official to express his concerns.Sarkar, who was on 14 at the time, eventually fell for 26 in the seventh over. The controversial decision left a sour taste in the Sri Lankan camp, who felt they had been unfairly denied a wicket.The incident highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the use of technology in cricket. While Ultra-edge has been instrumental in reducing umpiring errors, it can also lead to contentious decisions when the evidence is inconclusive. In this case, the misalignment between the ball and the spike on Ultra-edge left room for interpretation, ultimately resulting in a decision that favored the batter.

Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, opted to field first in the second T20I against Sri Lanka in Sylhet. The hosts retained the same lineup that narrowly lost the first match by three runs.Sri Lanka, on the other hand, made one change, bringing in left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka for spinner Akila Dananjaya. Pitch expert Farvez Maharoof noted that the surface had a more even grass covering and that dew could potentially impact the game.In the first T20I, Sri Lanka successfully defended a total of 206, thanks to a last-ball thriller. Jaker Ali's blistering 68 off 34 balls had given Bangladesh a scare, but Dasun Shanaka's composed bowling in the 20th over sealed the victory for the visitors.Bangladesh XI:1. Litton Das (wk)2. Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt)3. Soumya Sarkar4. Towhid Hridoy5. Mahmudullah6. Mahedi Hasan7. Jaker Ali8. Taskin Ahmed9. Rishad Hossain10. Mustafizur Rahman11. Shoriful IslamSri Lanka XI:1. Avishka Fernando2. Kusal Mendis (wk)3. Kamindu Mendis4. Sadeera Samarawickrama5. Charith Asalanka (capt.)6. Angelo Mathews7. Dasun Shanaka8. Maheesh Theekshana9. Dilshan Madushanka10. Binura Fernando11. Matheesha Pathirana

In a thrilling opening Twenty20 international of a three-match series in Sylhet on Monday, Sri Lanka emerged victorious over Bangladesh by a narrow margin of three runs. Chasing a challenging target of 207 runs, Bangladesh's lower middle-order batsman Jaker Ali played a valiant innings, scoring a maiden fifty and bringing his team close to victory. However, Sri Lanka's captain Dasun Shanaka displayed nerves of steel in the final over, claiming two crucial wickets to secure the win.Bangladesh's pursuit of the target began with a solid start, but former Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews made an early impact by dismissing two key batsmen. Mahmudullah Riyad then played a crucial role, striking a quickfire 54 off 31 balls to revive the home side's hopes. However, Shanaka's heroics in the final over proved decisive.Earlier, Sri Lanka had set a formidable total of 206-3 after being sent in to bat. Sadeera Samarawickrama and Kusal Mendis played key roles, scoring fifties and sharing a 96-run partnership for the third wicket. Stand-in skipper Charith Asalanka also contributed with an unbeaten 44 from 21 balls.The series marks the start of Sri Lanka's month-long tour of Bangladesh, which will also include three one-day internationals and two Tests.

During the 2023 ODI World Cup, a controversial dismissal of Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews sparked a heated debate. Mathews was ruled "timed out" in a crucial match against Bangladesh, igniting a storm of controversy.The incident occurred in the 25th over when Mathews arrived at the crease after Sadeera Samarawickrama's dismissal. However, he realized he had the wrong helmet and attempted to rectify the situation with the Bangladesh players and umpires.Mathews indicated that the helmet strap had come off, but the damage had been done. Bangladesh appealed for a "timed out," and despite Mathews' animated protests, the appeal was not withdrawn.Mathews' frustration was evident as he threw his helmet in anger after leaving the field. Later, while bowling, he took the wicket of Bangladesh captain Shakib al Hasan and gestured towards his watch, a symbolic reference to the controversial dismissal.The incident resurfaced during a T20I match between the two teams in Sylhet, where Shoriful Islam mimicked Mathews' gesture after dismissing Sri Lanka's Avishka Fernando.The series between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is seen as crucial preparation for the upcoming World Cup in June. Bangladesh has never defeated Sri Lanka in a T20 series, adding to the significance of this encounter.

Sri Lanka's T20I captain Wanindu Hasaranga has launched a scathing attack on umpire Lyndon Hannibal, accusing him of being unfit for international cricket after a controversial no-ball call in the third T20I against Afghanistan.The incident occurred during a tense final over, with Sri Lanka needing 11 runs off the last three balls. Wafadar Momand delivered a high full toss that passed well above the waist of batter Kamindu Mendis without pitching. Despite Mendis' appeals and a request for a review, square-leg umpire Hannibal deemed the delivery legal, leaving Sri Lanka needing 11 off the last two balls.Hasaranga, who did not name Hannibal directly, expressed his outrage at the decision, stating that such incidents should not occur in international matches. He emphasized that the delivery was clearly above waist height and would have hit the batsman's head if it had gone slightly higher."That kind of thing shouldn't happen in an international match," Hasaranga said. "If it had been close [to waist height], that's not a problem. But a ball that's going so high… it would have hit the batsman's head if it had gone a little higher.""If you can't see that, that umpire isn't suited to international cricket. It would be much better if he did another job."Hasaranga also criticized the ICC's playing conditions, which do not allow player reviews for umpire decisions that do not involve potential dismissals. He argued that the third umpire should be able to review no-balls, regardless of whether a dismissal is at stake."There was a situation where you could review those calls before, but the ICC has got rid of that," Hasaranga said. "Our batsmen tried to review that. If the third umpire is able to check the front-foot no-ball, he should check this kind of no-ball as well. There's no reason why they can't. They didn't do even that, so I'm not sure what was going on in his (the square-leg umpire's) mind at the time."Sri Lanka went on to lose the match by three runs, handing Afghanistan their only victory of the tour. Despite the loss, Sri Lanka won the series 2-1.

In a thrilling encounter, Afghanistan secured a narrow three-run victory over Sri Lanka in the third T20I match in Dambulla, ending the series on a high note. The match witnessed a flurry of runs and fierce knocks from both sides, with Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka leading the charge.Afghanistan, electing to bat first, got off to a blistering start thanks to Gurbaz and Hazratullah Zazai's aggressive batting. The duo put on an 88-run opening stand in just 48 deliveries, punishing the Sri Lankan bowlers to all parts of the ground. Gurbaz, in particular, looked in ominous touch, striking a 43-ball 70, while Zazai contributed with a brutal 45 off 22 balls.Sri Lanka's bowlers struggled to contain the Afghan onslaught, with none able to maintain an economy rate below eight. Angelo Mathews, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, and Akila Dananjaya all bore the brunt of the punishment, conceding more than 10 runs per over.After the dismissal of Gurbaz and Zazai, Afghanistan continued to maintain a healthy scoring rate, thanks to valuable contributions from Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, and debutant Mohammed Ishaq. Ishaq, in particular, played a crucial role in the final over, striking two boundaries to push Afghanistan's total to 209 for 5.In response, Sri Lanka got off to a solid start, with Nissanka leading the charge. The diminutive opener played a blistering knock of 60 off 30 deliveries, including six fours and three sixes, before retiring hurt due to a hamstring strain. Nissanka's departure was a significant blow to Sri Lanka's chase, but Kamindu Mendis kept them in the hunt with a valiant 65 off 39 balls.Despite Nissanka and Mendis' efforts, Sri Lanka fell just short of the target, finishing on 206 for 5. Dasun Shanaka and Mendis put on a quick-fire 35-run stand in the final overs, but it wasn't enough to seal the victory.In the end, Afghanistan's bowlers held their nerve, with Nabi and Rashid Khan picking up two wickets each. The win gave Afghanistan their solitary victory in the three-match series, while Sri Lanka secured the series 2-1.