In a cheeky turn of events, Sri Lanka couldn't resist the opportunity to poke fun at Bangladesh following their triumph in the T20I series on Saturday, March 9. Celebrating their 2-1 series win, the Sri Lankan team orchestrated a memorable 'time-out' themed photo op with the trophy, where each player was seen gesturing to an imaginary watch on their wrist. This playful jab was shared on Sri Lanka's official Instagram page, sparking laughter and discussions among fans.
The story behind time-out celebration?
The roots of this jest trace back to the World Cup 2023 in India, during an incident involving Sri Lankan veteran Angelo Mathews. Mathews found himself on the wrong side of time management when his helmet strap snapped just as he was preparing to bat. As Mathews awaited a replacement, Bangladesh's captain Shakib Al Hasan appealed for time wastage, leading to Mathews being declared out – a first in cricket history. This event set off a series of retaliatory banter and raised questions about the 'spirit of cricket'.
The plot thickened during the first T20I when Bangladesh's Shoriful Islam mimicked the 'time-out' signal after taking a wicket, adding fuel to the fire of this friendly rivalry. In response, Sri Lanka's latest victory pose served as a cheeky reminder of the ongoing jest between the two sides.
Nuwan Thushara bags five wickets in series decider
As for the series decider, it was nothing short of a cinematic showdown. Sri Lanka, batting first, posted a formidable total of 174/7, largely thanks to Kusal Mendis' dazzling innings of 86 runs – a personal best. However, the spotlight was stolen by Nuwan Thushara, who performed a bowling masterclass culminating in a thrilling hat-trick, dramatically shifting the game's momentum in Sri Lanka's favor.
Thushara's hat-trick became the talk of the town, halting Bangladesh's chase in its tracks and dashing any hopes of a dramatic comeback. Bangladesh's innings eventually concluded 28 runs short of the target, handing Sri Lanka a cheeky and memorable series victory.
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