Danushka Gunathilaka was given out 'obstructing the field' in the first ODI against West Indies.
Sri Lankan opener Danushka Gunathilaka's obstructing the field dismissal had caused an uproar against ICC rules and West Indies captain Kieron Pollard, who had appealed for the dismissal. Pollard later sorted the matter out with Gunathilaka once the game was over.
Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first in Antigua on Wednesday, March 10. Openers Danushka Gunathilaka and Dimuth Karunaratne scored half-centuries before the former was declared out in one of the most uncommon ways.
In the 20th over of the innings, Gunathilaka played a defensive stroke that dropped the ball near his boots and screamed to send his partner Karunaratne back inside the crease. Until then, bowler Kieron Pollard was trying to get the ball to hit the stumps as Gunathilaka was outside his crease.
WI v SL 2021: WATCH – Danushka Gunathilaka declared out for obstructing the field in 1st ODI
Seeing the West Indian skipper runs towards him, the opener tried to get back into the crease. In the process, he hit the ball away from the opposition players with his boot ‘unknowingly’. Pollard appealed against it and the decision was sent upstairs with the soft signal ‘OUT’.
The decision was upheld and Gunathilaka had to walk back, thus becoming the first Sri Lankan batsman to be out ‘obstructing the field’ in international cricket.
At the end of the game, Pollard realized that the southpaw had not tried to obstruct the field and hence had a chat with him to apologize for the same.
The Sri Lankan opener told Newswire, “He (Pollard) apologized, He told me he didn't see that properly at that time and only after he saw the video he realized I didn't do anything.”
@KieronPollard55 and @danushka_70 had a chat at close of play. ????????#SpiritOfCricket #WIvSL ???????? pic.twitter.com/FowckA7ajx
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) March 10, 2021
West Indies went on to chase down 233 with 8 wickets in hand with the help of a hundred from opener Shai Hope.