Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Vishen Halambage were involved in a heated exchange that led to physical contact on the field after Sri Lanka A beat India A in a Super Over finish in the one-day tri-series in Dambulla.

Sri Lanka A wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella intervened to defuse the tension between the two players in the fading light at the end of the game.

After the match was tied at the end of 50 overs, a Super Over was needed to separate the two teams. Sri Lanka A scored 16 in the Super Over. In response, India A could manage only nine as rookie Kugathas Mathulan, a slinger in the mould of Matheesha Pathirana, denied Sooryavanshi and Suryansh Shedge.

Following the conclusion of the match, Halambage and Wanuja Sahan were seen having words to the departing India batters, which may have served as a flashpoint to the confrontation. Visuals showed Shedge pointing his bat towards Halambage before Sooryavanshi turned back to get into an exchange with the Sri Lankan player. Sooryavanshi and Halambage were then seen shoving each other, and Dickwella separating the two. Sooryavanshi was also seen gesticulating as he walked off the field.

The final half hour of play was full of drama as India A’s left-arm quick Arshad Khan conceded only four runs off the 50th over, when Sri Lanka A needed five to win. However, with light fading fast, the umpires appeared reluctant to take the game into a Super Over. The cut-off time was 5.30 pm but it is understood the match officials had the option of extending play until they deemed natural light was not fit for purpose.

India A captain Tilak Varma appeared strident in speaking to the umpires in favour of a Super Over, and the match officials agreed once Sri Lanka A were also on board. By the time the Sri Lankan batters came out to bat, it was already 6.17 pm and sunset in Dambulla was eight minutes away.

There was more drama when Sri Lanka A played their Super Over. The last ball was a high full-toss from Arshad to Avishka Fernando, who failed to clear the infield and was caught, only for the TV umpire to check the delivery for height and rule it a no-ball. The Indian players had already left the ground to allow their batters to chase before the light worsened. Tilak, along with officials from the India team management, spoke to the reserve umpire and they had to come back on the field to bowl the final delivery again.

In a game of small margins, India A also ended up conceding 10 penalty runs to Sri Lanka after the on-field umpires Prageeth Rambukwella and Shantha Fonseka penalised Vipraj Nigam for running on the danger area of the pitch in the 34th and 37th over. As a result, Sri Lanka A started their chase with ten runs on the board even before a ball was bowled.

Sri Lanka A currently lead the tri-series points table with four points (two wins in three games). India A and Afghanistan A are level on two points, though India A have played one game more.