Bangladesh v Sri Lanka

Watch: Shoriful Islam taunts Sri Lanka with ‘timed out’ celebration following World Cup controversy

by Wisden Staff March 4, 2024 - 1:21pm 3 minute read

Watch: Shoriful Islam unfurled a ‘timed out’ celebration after dismissing Avishka Fernando in the first T20I of the three-match series, at Sylhet.

Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and opted to field at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, and asked Shoriful Islam to bowl the first over.

Avishka Fernando found a lucky edge off the first ball, and it raced to the boundary. He slashed at the second and edged it, and wicketkeeper Litton Das held the catch.

While celebrating, Shoriful pointed at his watch, presumably to remind the Sri Lankans of the clash between the same two teams in the 2023 World Cup, at Delhi. There, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan appealed for a timed out dismissal against Angelo Mathews, and got the decision in his favour.

It was the first timed out dismissal in the history of international cricket. It caused a furore. When Shakib was dismissed later in the match, Mathews gestured at his watch.

The Sri Lankans did not shake hands with the Bangladeshis after the match, and Mathews took a dig at Shakib in the post-match press conference. The incident was another entry in the long list of controversies that have taken place when the two sides have clashed.

At Sylhet, Kusal Mendis (59 in 36 balls), Sadeera Samarawickrama (61 not out in 48), and stand-in captain Charith Asalanka (44 not out in 21) took Sri Lanka to 206-3.