SL vs NED | Twitter reacts as umpire awards five penalty runs to Dutch owing to Mendis' sloppy glovework

ByJalaj Ranwaka, SportsCafe Editor

10/21/2023

101

Penalty runs are indeed a rare occurrence in cricket, often seen as an avoidable mistake by a team. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka found themselves on the wrong side of the rulebook on Saturday when wicketkeeper Kushal Mendis failed to collect a ball cleanly, allowing it to thus hit his helmet.

The Netherlands had a challenging start after choosing to bat first in Lucknow, scoring 48 runs but losing two wickets by the end of the first powerplay. Kasun Rajitha and Dilshan Madushanka posed significant difficulties for the Dutch, leaving them at 103/6 after 25 overs. The middle-order batsmen, Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek, then formed a record seventh-wicket partnership, accumulating over 100 runs. This partnership put Sri Lanka in desperate need of a breakthrough. However, luck didn't seem to be on the side of the bowling team, as nothing went in their favor in the subsequent events.

In the second ball of the 43rd over, Karunaratne bowled a slower length ball outside off to Engelbrecht, who was beaten on the drive. Unfortunately, Mendis, the wicketkeeper, failed to gather the ball safely, and it ended up hitting his helmet which was placed behind him. As a result, the umpire signaled a penalty in favor of the Netherlands, and their scoreboard was boosted by an additional 5 runs.

The incident quickly garnered reactions on Twitter, with many expressing surprise and commenting on the unexpected penalty awarded by the Sri Lankan captain.

That's how Sri Lanka's fate is!

— aman chettri (@amanchettri1)

Rules are rules for everyone!

5 PENALTY RUNS. Haven't seen that in years.
— Rory Kilpatrick (@AflGlicko)

Yeah! Take that.

OMG 5 penalty runs 😭
— Honey bee (@BeeBaby_07)

Hahaha! Hasney ka kya hi! xD xD

5 penalty runs for hitting the keeper's helmet on ground 😂
— Rippahhh (@141Adelaide)

That 5 big runs!

C Karunaratne to Sybrand, (penalty) 5 runs

Five penalty runs for Netherlands!
— Irfan (@MIrfanBashir4)

Yeahhh buddyyy!

Penalty runs added to the Dutch scoreboard .
— Adrian Dsouza (@adrian_dso92190)

It is all destiny mean?

Ball hitting helmet ... 5 runs penalty .. tht doesnt happen regurlarly ..

Sri lankan destiny ...
— Mohammed ayman (@maymandt)

Sad!

Netherlands fking srilanka in Lucknow. Keep crying 🐷 harami kala kutta. Because of these beggars like daniel indians nd pak hindus hate srilanka.
— 🔥💥proud pakistani Hindu💕 💥🔥 (@shwetatiw97)

Yeah wkt looks like that!