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Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh – Shakib Al Hasan clarifies boundary-rope gesture, says wasn’t calling off players

With tempers flaring in the R Premadasa stadium in Colombo, towards the end of the 6th T20I of the tri-series, Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan admitted that he went overboard with his emotions on Friday after heated exchanges with the Sri Lankan players. The Tigers edged past Sri Lanka by two wickets to set up a final with India but not before spectators witnessed ugly scenes in the final over but it wasn’t all smooth for them as Mahmudullah stepped up his game when it mattered the most to reach the target with one ball to spare.

Needing 12 off the last six balls in their 160-run chase, Bangladesh batsman Mustafizur Rahman faced two bouncers from paceman Isuru Udana and was run out after missing the second. The visitors contested the call of the leg-umpire, saying it was a no-ball due to its height. Shakib looked furious on the boundary and even waved to call the batsmen back to the pavilion, but sanity prevailed and Bangladesh erupted after Mahmudullah Riyad hit the winning six on the penultimate ball.

Shakib, during the players’ altercation with the umpires, was very animated beyond the boundary rope and even signalled his players to come off. The Bangladesh skipper, however, refuted the claims after the match and said that wasn’t what he intended. (PICS: After controversy-marred win over Sri Lanka, Bangladesh players allegedly break dressing room glass)

“I wasn’t calling them back. I was telling them to play. You can describe it both ways. It depends on how you see it,” Shakib told reporters. “We are all humans and making mistakes is in our nature. We should take it on our chin and move forward. We always had healthy competition in the ground, but outside, we are friends. Emotions take over, I need to be careful as a leader of a team, I will be careful next time.”

“You can’t expect more than that in a T20 game. There was everything. Emotions, drama, everything. We are lucky to be on the winning side. Kusal Perera and Thisara Perera batted very well, got themselves into a winning position. I had only one hit before I came into the game, so I knew I wasn’t 100%. It was important to rotate the strike and give it to Mahmudullah. This is one of our best innings in the last five overs,” he had said in the presentation ceremony.

Bangladesh players were also accused of unruly celebrations by the ground staff at the stadium after a glass shutter was found broken in their dressing room. The team did not respond to the allegations. The final of the tournament, which commemorates 70 years of Sri Lankan independence, is slated for Sunday.

(With AFP inputs)