Vaibhav Sooryavanshi-Halambage pokes fun at the incident: “Focus on the game, not on side issues,” says BCCI’s Devajit Saikia.

Vaibhava Sooryavanshi-Halambage pushing incident MUMBAI: After 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi engaged in a heated exchange with Vishen Halambage, which led to physical contact on the field after Sri Lanka A beat India A in the Super Over of the one-day tri-series in Dambulla on Monday, the BCCI for secretary Devajit Saikia to divert his players’ attention away from the ‘India Acentral’ game advised the India Acentral players to collateral.”“India A is playing a big tournament, all the upcoming players who can stake their claim for the Indian senior team are in the middle of a very big tournament, a tri-nation series, so they should focus on their game rather than get distracted by any side issues,” Saikia told TOI on Tuesday.“They should not focus on that, they should focus on their game and give their best performance so that India can win the tri-nation series. That is our only concern now.”Asked if he had spoken to Sooryavanshi about the incident, Saikia said, “It is not our duty to speak to the players for any reason. The players are only focused on their games and the support staff and coaches who are present with them, nothing else. So no one is interfering with their game, strategy and preparation for this big series that is going on.” We will follow the principle that during a big tournament when they are playing for the country, they should not be distracted by any other secondary issues that are not of primary importance. What matters is a win for India and a good performance in the tri-series. So that’s our focus and we’re not doing anything other than that at this stage.”He reiterated, “At this stage we are concentrating and allowing our players to focus on their game, not on any other side issues. They should focus on their games and BCCI is with the team and their game, nothing else.”After the match was tied at the end of 50 overs, the Super Over was played in fading light. The light continued to deteriorate as India A captain Tilak Varma was involved in an altercation with the umpires. Sri Lanka A scored 16 in the Super Over. In response, India A could only manage nine as newcomer Kugathas Mathulan, a slinger in the form of Matheesha Pathirana, denied Sooryavanshi and Suryansh Shedge.

A heated exchange between Sooryavanshi and Halambage after the match

After the match, Halambage and Wanuja Sahan were seen talking to the departing Indian batsmen, which appeared to have sparked a confrontation. Visuals showed Shedge aiming his bat at Halambage before Sooryavanshi turned to engage in an exchange with the Sri Lankan player. Sooryavanshi and Halambage were then seen shoving each other, with Dickwella separating them. Sooryavanshi was also seen gesticulating as he left the field.“The Sri Lankan player abused Vaibhav as he walked off the field, but it is better to advise the batsmen not to get distracted by sledging,” said a source following the paper’s development.

India Tabor dissatisfied with referees’ decisions

Another source reported that the India A camp was upset by what it said was “highly biased umpiring” by Sri Lankan umpires Rageeth Rambukwella and Shantha Fonseka.“It was as if the team was playing against 13 players. Some of the on-field decisions by the umpires were highly questionable. Shedge (72 off 66 balls) was wrongly adjudged to have been caught on a long-on boundary as the fielder’s boot had stepped on the rope. The no-ball and wide decisions in the final over were questionable. The only time the S. Over umpires agreed was when S. Lanka chose to play Super A.