Sri Lanka’s first one-day international captain, Anura Tennekoon, travelled to Dambulla on Monday to watch the India A versus Sri Lanka A fixture in the Tri-Nation A Series and met 15-year-old Indian batting prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi after the game, Newswire reported.
The teenager sought the veteran’s blessings after the match and Mr Tennekoon, who captained Sri Lanka in its inaugural ODI in 1975, offered short, pointed counsel: “You focus on your game and cut out the outside noise.” He described Suryavanshi as a “generational talent” and praised his fearless approach, particularly his hitting in the IPL where he made his senior franchise debut for Rajasthan Royals this year.
Suryavanshi managed only 21 runs in the Dambulla fixture, which Sri Lanka A won via a Super Over after a tied chase further coloured by a 10-run penalty against India A for two protected-area infringements. Mr Tennekoon acknowledged the loss but encouraged the youngster, noting poor performances are part of the game.
The meeting was a notable cross-generational moment for the series, which is being staged at Dambulla as part of the broader Sri Lanka A schedule. Mr Tennekoon, now in his seventies and long retired from administrative roles, rarely makes public appearances at junior fixtures, and his trip up to Dambulla underscored the level of interest in the young Indian batter inside the regional cricket community.
The Sri Lanka A squad for the series was named on June 9 under Sadeera Samarawickrama’s leadership.
Update — June 16: Senior players reach out, internal apology discussion
Senior Sri Lankan cricketers separately reached out to Suryavanshi to express regret over the on-field altercation, Ada Derana reported citing Cricbuzz. Though not part of the Sri Lanka A squad involved in the match, the senior players are understood to have existing IPL ties with the 15-year-old.
The Sri Lanka A setup is reported to be discussing internally whether a formal apology should be issued to the Indian camp, though no official communication has been confirmed.
The flashpoint, according to the report, was Sri Lanka A player Vishen Halambage, who is alleged to have repeatedly sledged Suryavanshi from the opening fixture of the series — India’s narrow June 9 win — and to have kept up the verbal exchanges through the second match. Tensions escalated during the Super Over, with Halambage’s remarks prompting Suryavanshi and India A’s Suryansh Shedge to advance towards him before being restrained by Niroshan Dickwella. The incident was discussed in the Sri Lanka A dressing room after the game as officials weighed possible disciplinary implications.
Update — June 17: Match referee recommends 50% fine for both players
The match referee has recommended a fine equal to 50% of the players’ match fees for both Halambage and Suryavanshi after reviewing the Dambulla incident, Newswire reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. The referee’s report has been submitted to the respective cricket boards in Sri Lanka and India for consideration.
Because the Tri-Nation A Series is not conducted under International Cricket Council jurisdiction, the final decision on sanctions rests with board representatives and tournament officials rather than the ICC code of conduct process. No formal announcement had been made by either board at the time of Newswire’s report.
