India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lanka fast bowler Asitha Fernando were handed fines for their physical altercation on Day 1 of the second Test in Colombo. The International Cricket Council was quick to discipline the duo, handing them a 25 per cent fine of their match fee.
While a majority of cricket fans blamed Jaiswal for the incidentclaiming that the batter initiated the whole altercation, the ICC’s account of the incident suggested otherwise. The official release from the ICC was clear in holding both players responsible for the aggression in the 17th over of India’s innings.
“The incident occurred in the 17th over of India’s batting innings after Fernando dismissed Jaiswal. The India batter walked towards Fernando and the two exchanged words, after which Fernando moved his head towards Jaiswal. In response, Jaiswal leant in, resulting in their heads making contact,” a part of the ICC statement said.
“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,” it added.
COMBATIVE JAISWAL HITS BACK
As fans started to put the blame on Jaiswal, the cricketer hit back with a bizarre comment on a Cricbuzz video about the same incident.
“If you don’t know what he said then please don’t make your judgment if anyone cross the line we need to let them know this India will fight and reply,” Jaiswal had commented on the videowhich featured celebrated commentator Harsha Bhogle.
The batter was criticised for his combative attitude in a comment on a video that was fairly kind towards Jaiswal in its assessment of the incident.
IS ICC TRYING TO PROTECT JAISWAL?
However, on Tuesday, a new video angle of the incident circulating across the internet appeared to challenge the ICC’s version of events, with some suggesting that the governing body may have got its description of the altercation wrong.
One of the prominent Sri Lankan journalists, Andrew Fidel Fernando, argued that the ICC had blatantly lied in its press release when it said that Asitha Fernando had moved his head towards Jaiswal.
“Yesterday, the ICC issued a press release claiming ‘Fernando moved his head towards Jaiswal. In response, Jaiswal leant in, resulting in their heads making contact.’ This is just factually incorrect. Check the vid. An instance of the game’s governing body outright lying to fans,” Sri Lankan cricket journalist Andrew Fidel Fernando argued.
Several others agreed with the assessment made by the Sri Lankan journalist. Some even believed that Jaiswal deserved a harsher punishment than the 25 per cent fine he was handed for the incident.
The fresh video angle has therefore added another layer to an already heated incident. While the ICC has closed the matter by sanctioning both players, questions are now being raised over whether its official account accurately reflected what happened between Jaiswal and Asitha Fernando on the field.
– Ends
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