Sri Lankan cricketer Vishen Halambage and senior wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella have been sanctioned on separate counts by the SLC-appointed match referee Pradeep Jeyapragash, due to their conduct during the tri-nation A series game versus India.
As per sources, Dickwella, who actually stopped the Vaibhav Sooryavanshi-Halambage fracas from getting ugly, was sanctioned for excessive appealing.
Halambage was sanctioned for his provocative comments towards Indian batters after a Super Over win, which led to an almost physical confrontation with the 15-year-old Indian superstar.
Sooryavanshi was forced to push the Halambage who had come very close to him during their heated argument.
The quantum of sanctions hasn’t been known.
There was no confirmation whether Indian players including Sooryavanshi and his skipper Tilak Varma, who had a long argument with on-field umpires insisting them to conduct a Super Over under fading lights, were just let off with warnings or handed official sanctions.
The incident happened when India were left to chase 17 in the Super Over after both teams were tied on identical scores of 265 each.
India managed only nine runs and Sooryavanshi, who faced the last three deliveries from Sri Lankan slinger Kugathas Mathulan, could manage only six runs.
While the focus of attention after the altercation has been on Sooryavanshi, one has to also mention the poor standard of umpiring from the duo of Shantha Fonseca and Prageeth Rambukwella.
Sri Lankan cricketer sanctioned for fracas with Sooryavanshi
