BCCI to take final call on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Punishment after India A Row

The BCCI is set to decide on disciplinary measures involving young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and India A captain Tilak Varma following the controversial scenes that unfolded during India A’s heated clash against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla earlier this week.

According to a report from Sportstar, match referee Pradeep Jeyapragash has recommended that Sooryavanshi be fined 50 percent of his match fee after he became involved in a physical confrontation with Sri Lanka A batter Vishen Halambage. Tilak Varma could also face sanctions, with a recommendation of a 30 per cent fine for his conduct during the match.

Tensions boiled over after Sri Lanka A secured victory in a dramatic Super Over finish. Sooryavanshi was seen confronting Halambage before shoving the Sri Lankan batter during a post-match altercation. The situation threatened to escalate further before experienced Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella stepped in to separate the players.

Reports suggested that Halambage had repeatedly engaged in sledging directed at the 15-year-old Indian prodigy throughout the series, including during the teams’ earlier encounter on June 9.

Tilak’s recommended punishment stems from two separate incidents involving prolonged disagreements with the on-field umpires. The first occurred when officials informed the Indian camp that deteriorating light conditions could prevent a Super Over from taking place. The second followed a contentious no-ball decision on the final delivery of Sri Lanka A’s Super Over, a call that drew strong objections from the India A skipper.

Unlike international matches governed by the ICC, disciplinary matters in A-team fixtures are handled by the respective cricket boards. The match referee’s role is limited to submitting recommendations, leaving the final verdict to the BCCI and Sri Lanka Cricket. The report added that no formal hearing was held, with the recommendations based on reports filed by the match officials.

Meanwhile, PTI had earlier reported that Sri Lanka A players Vishen Halambage and Niroshan Dickwella were also sanctioned by Sri Lanka Cricket’s match referee. Dickwella was penalised for excessive appealing during the contest, while Halambage was punished for allegedly making provocative remarks towards Indian batters after Sri Lanka A’s Super Over triumph, comments that reportedly sparked the confrontation involving Sooryavanshi.