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Ishant Sharma and Dinesh Chandimal receive 1-match bans, Dhammika Prasad and Lahiru Thirimanne fined

Ishant Sharma had a heated argument with Sri Lanka's Dhammika Prasad on Day 4 which was settled only after umpire Nigel Llong interfered.
 

India’s in-form pacer Ishant Sharma and Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal have been banned for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the concluded 3rd Test between India and Sri Lanka. Dhammika Prasad and Lahiru Thirimanne have been handed 50% match fees fine for their part in the same incident as Chandimal, while Ishant has been banned for a separate incident.

As a result, Ishant will miss India's first Test against South Africa in November – which is to be played in Mohali, a pitch known to favour seamers. Chandimal will miss Sri Lanka's opening ODI in the home series against West Indies.

Chandimal was penalised, an ICC release stated, for a breach relating to "inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with a player".

The controversial incident occurred in the 76th over of India's second innings, when Chandimal appeared to make deliberate contact with Ishant Sharma. Ravichandran Ashwin took offence at what was said in the aftermath of the shove, and complained to the umpire. Sparks flew when Dhammika bowled illegal bouncers to Ishant, and the India tail-ender reacted with furious gestures.

In a slightly worrying but also amusing scene, Dhammika Prasad was seen chasing Ishant back to the changing rooms after the last wicket fell.

Any repeat of Ishant’s actions could see ban for an year: Match Referee

Ishant was fined for a separate incident, when he gave an overemphatic send-off to Upul Tharanga during Sri Lanka’s 2nd innings. By doing so, he had breached the ICC codes relating to "using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an international match".

Ishant has had a troubled relation with the match officials in recent times, and another such breach in the next 12 months could have him suspended for a fixed period going up to a year.

Match referee Andy Pycroft said after the match: "Monday's incidents were not good advertisements for international cricket. These experienced cricketers forgot their fundamental responsibilities of respecting their opponents as well as the umpires, and got involved in incidents which were clearly against the spirit of the game. Their actions cannot be condoned and must be discouraged.

"Chandimal was not directly involved in the incident between Prasad and Sharma, but came into the conflict and made deliberate physical contact with Sharma, and had the umpires not intervened, the situation could have escalated.

"As regards Sharma, he had been put on notice after being charged twice for send-offs in the previous Test. Any repeat of this action within the next 12 months will potentially see him suspended for a much longer period."

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