Following India A’s Super Over loss to Sri Lanka A, a heated on-field altercation broke out involving Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and opposition players, leading to a match referee recommending a fine. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the board will not interfere, as discipline lies under match officials’ jurisdiction.
The ODI Tri-Series match between India A and Sri Lanka A witnessed a dramatic finish at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Mn Monday, June 15. However, it was the post-match scenes, rather than the Super Over result, which the visitors lost, that commanded the most attention.
After India A failed to chase down the 18-run target set by Sri Lanka A, being restricted to 9/0, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was engaged in a heated altercation with the opposition players, especially Vishen Halambage, who reportedly provoked the 15-year-old while walking back to the pavilion following the conclusion of the match, which was played under fading light.
The situation escalated after Sooryavanshi pushed the Sri Lankan player, prompting veteran wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella to intervene as a peacemaker to prevent further conflict. Even Suryansh Shegde was seen getting involved as tensions flared, forcing teammates from both sides to step in and restore order before the situation spiraled further.
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The heated physical altercation prompted an investigation, wherein referee Pradeep Jeyapragash recommended financial sanctions for several participants, with reports indicating that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Vishen Halambage faced proposed fines amounting to 50% of their match fee.
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‘BCCI Is Not The Authority in Such Matters’
Since the ongoing ODI tri-series involving India, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan is not sanctioned by the ICC, the recommendation, based on reports submitted by on-field umpires Shantha Fonseca and Prageeth Rambukwella, was forwarded to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Sri Lanka Cricket for final ratification.
However, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia clarified that the board will not intervene in the disciplinary process, stating that it has “no role to play” in matters that fall strictly under the jurisdiction of match officials.
“A lot of things are being discussed on social media, including speculation that the BCCI is contemplating action. But do you want the BCCI to step into the domain of the match referee? The BCCI is not the authority in such matters,” Saikia told the PTI.
“We should not intrude into an area where the match referee and the umpires are the primary officials empowered to make decisions regarding incidents that occur on the field of play," he added.
Sri Lanka A camp held an internal discussion with its players regarding the incident, following which both sides reportedly held an emergency meeting to emphasize the importance of player conduct and discipline. The reports suggested that the Sri Lanka camp was regretful of the scenes, with the SLC Board moving to ratify the referee's sanctions to ensure the tournament's integrity remains intact.
‘Responsibility Lies With The Match Referee’
Further speaking on the broader implications of the event, Devajit Saikia stated that umpires and the match referee are the final authorities on-field conduct, and the BCCI cannot step in or override their decisions under existing regulations.
"The BCCI does not have the authority to take any action or interfere with the conduct of a game. Whatever happened was part of the game and, under BCCI rules and ICC regulations, the board has no role to play in such matters,” the BCCI secretary said.
“The responsibility lies with the match referee. If anything goes wrong, the match referee will take a call, and the umpires will take a call. There is already a system in place," he added.
Meanwhile, India A secured their spot in the final after defeating Afghanistan A by 101 runs on Wednesday in Dambulla, and the opponent for the title clash will be determined following the final league match between Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A on Friday.
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