Buttler says Bangladesh celebrations were ‘over the top’

Bangladesh

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England captain Jos Buttler said that Bangladesh’s celebration of his dismissal was “over the top”. This was the most talked-about flashpoint in Bangladesh’s 34-run win that leveled the ODI series 1-1, and ultimately the turning point, when Buttler was given out leg-before through a review after the umpire had turned down Taskin Ahmed’s leg-before appeal.

After they got a signal from their dressing room that the on-field umpire’s decision would be overturned, the Bangladesh team started celebrating and some of them turned towards Buttler who was standing behind them with Chris Woakes. At that point, Buttler started to move towards the celebrating Bangladesh players only to be stopped by the umpires. Mashrafe and Woakes then tried to calm things down in the middle.

“I thought it was a little bit over the top,” Buttler said. “I don’t mind guys celebrating just together. I know that’s obviously a very passionate cricket country and the players are very passionate and I have got no problem with that. I was just a little bit disappointed in the fashion they celebrated. I don’t mind them celebrating a wicket but to run and celebrate in my face… Rightly they are happy to get a wicket but there is no need to run in someone’s face and celebrate.”

Buttler said that there was a bit of history between him and the Bangladesh players but didn’t elaborate. “For me personally, that was the first bit, but that is part and parcel of the game,” he said.

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza said that he wasn’t in the right place to listen to what was being said to Buttler from his players. But he said that control of emotions would be necessary in the next game.

“I don’t know who spoke to Buttler. I was focusing on the review that I took, and then I got excited by the decision. Sometimes, a lot of things happen in the heat of the moment. But players from both sides should control themselves.

Buttler however said that he regrets his own reaction, which he felt should have been to ignore the fielders. He said that it will be important for him to stay calm in these situations in the next game.

“Maybe in hindsight I could just walk away but it is what it is,” Buttler said. “Emotions were running high and obviously they were delighted to get the wicket. Maybe I should have just walked off.

“It’s certainly much more emotional as captain and you try to react, but it’s something I will learn if I do it much more. I only have one more. It’s something I will try to improve on, trying to keep levelheadedness, not letting your emotions get too high or too low.”

But that wasn’t the end of the confrontations. After Bangladesh had won the game, Ben Stokes and Tamim Iqbal also got into an argument. Buttler said that Stokes was upset with what had happened.

“Obviously emotions run high, and Ben is an emotional guy,” Buttler said. “But he would not have reacted like that if nothing had happened.” In a tweet after the game, Stokes said, “What I won’t stand for is someone putting a shoulder to my teammate at handshakes,” though no Bangladesh player was named.

Mashrafe meanwhile said that he is yet to find out what had happened in that situation since he was ahead in the line of those shaking hands with the England team. “I was ahead in the line so I didn’t see what happened. I can tell you after I find out,” he said.