Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lanka bowler Asitha Fernando have been sanctioned by the ICC following their on-field altercation during the second Test. The global cricketing body imposed a fine of 25% match fee of both the cricketers while handing them one demerit point each. Notably, Jaiswal is a part of the Indian squad taking on Sri Lanka in the second game of their ICC World Test Championship fixture in Colombo. On the opening day of the game, Jaiswal and Fernando engaged in a heated on-field altercation.
During the first season of the game, Fernando gave an animated send-off to Jaiswal after dismissing him at 45 runs. While the Indian opener initially started walking without saying anything, Fernando appeared to say something to Jaiswal that prompted him to walk back and confront the Sri Lankan cricketer. Things soon escalated between the two, and the Indian appeared to bang heads with his counterpart. Both the players had to be separated by the host skipper, and within no time, the entire incident spread like wildfire on social media, garnering criticism towards the Indian.
ICC Penalises Yashasvi Jaiswal and Asitha Fernando for On-Field Fiasco
While the 24-year-old batter issued clarification on the entire incident, the ICC penalised both the players with 25 percent of their match fee. The global cricket governing body released a statement clarifying that the players have breached Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Support Personnel. The article relates to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator during an International Match).”
According to ICC, “both players admitted the offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for formal hearings.” Speaking of the game, India declared their innings at a formidable score of 503 runs with nine wickets. Two players, Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel, produced blistering centuries, while Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja came up with decent scores of 45, 50, 63, and 43, respectively.
