SLC imposes sanctions on players for disciplinary breaches: Here's why
What's the story
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has imposed sanctions on players for disciplinary breaches during a recent tri-series match against India A in Dambulla. According to Cricbuzz, match referee Pradeep Jeyapragash announced the penalties against the players involved in the altercation, with Vishen Halambage believed to be among those. Niroshan Dickwella, who mediated during the confrontation, was also fined by Jeyapragash. However, his sanction was unrelated to this incident and stemmed from a separate unsavory incident that drew international attention.
Sanction process
No formal hearing conducted
Interestingly, no formal hearing was conducted for the disciplinary breaches. Instead, Jeyapragash imposed the sanctions based on reports submitted by the on-field umpires. It is worth noting that Jeyapragash's only international match as a player was an ODI against India in 2005 at Dambulla, where the recent match took place. The Sri Lankan cricket community has expressed disappointment over these events, particularly because they involved Indian and Sri Lankan players on Sri Lankan soil.
Pending action
Uncertainty surrounding action against Indian player Sooryavanshi
There is still no clarity on whether any action has been taken against Indian player Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He had an altercation with Halambage after the match, which Sri Lanka A won in near-darkness. The management of the Indian senior team has commented on the incident involving Sooryavanshi. "I think it was an unfortunate incident. But we don't know how he was provoked," said Sairaj Bahutule, who is with India A, adding that both teams need to be educated about their behavior.
Controversy
Decoding the matter
The match between India A and SL A saw a Super Over finish, which the hosts sealed. After the match, Halambage reportedly charged at Sooryavanshi and Suryansh Shedge, the other Indian opener. In retaliation, Sooryavanshi hit back before Dickwella intervened to diffuse the situation. Despite the heated confrontation, players from both sides participated in the post-match handshake ceremony once tempers had cooled down. Following the incident, some senior Sri Lankan players have expressed their regrets to Sooryavanshi over the whole affair, according to a Cricbuzz report.
BCCI response
Action against Sooryavanshi?
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is unlikely to take any action against Sooryavanshi for his heated exchange with Sri Lankan players. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia denied that any such action has been taken. "We are concentrating on the TRI-series... Our focus is on the tournament and nothing else," Saikia told Sportstar.