New Delhi, Dec 3:
In an unprecedented turn of events, the embattled Sri Lankan cricket team today held up play during the third Test against India, complaining of poor air quality that forced the hosts to declare their innings.
The first-ever incident of this kind in the sport’s 140- year-old history saw an international team resort to anti- pollution masks while fielding and then refuse to continue, stopping play for 26 minutes over three interruptions.
Record-breaking India skipper Virat Kohli, who was dismissed for 243 after the action resumed, was forced to declare at 536 for seven as some of the visiting team’s substitute fielders too refused to take the field.
The Lankan move irked the BCCI and Team India’s support staff nearly called it a deliberate tactic, though the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)’s rating of the capital’s air quality remained “very poor”.
As the day drew to a close, a question mark hung over the fate of the third day’s play at the Feorz Shah Kotla, and both the cricket boards are expected to sit across the table to sort out the issue. The ICC may not get involved as bilateral series is prerogative of the two boards.
Once an angry-looking Kohli signalled declaration, the Lankan players were booed by the crowd who chanted ‘losers losers’, as the visitors retreated to the dressing room.
Interestingly when the Indian team took the field, none of the players wore anti-pollution masks.
Sri Lanka’s interim coach Nic Pothas cited the health issues that their players faced, saying match referee David Boon found Suranga Lakmal and Dhananjaya De Silva vomiting inside the dressing room.
Sri Lankan players halted the proceedings between 12:32 to 12:49 and between 1:14 and 1:19 pm. It was the third stoppage at 1:28 pm that led Kohli to declare the innings as the fielders refused to carry on. (PTI)
Scoreboard
India 1st innings: (Overnight 371/4)
Murali Vijay st Dickwella b Sandakan 155
Shikhar Dhawan c Lakmal b Perera 23
Cheteshwar Pujara c Sadeera b Gamage 23
Virat Kohli lbw b Sandakan 243
Ajinkya Rahane st Dickwella b Sandakan 1
Rohit Sharma c Dickwella b Sandakan 65
R Ashwin c Perera b Gamage 4
Wriddhiman Saha not out 9
Ravindra Jadeja not out 5
Extras: (LB-1, NB-7) 8
Total: (For 7 wickets decl in 127.5 overs) 536
Fall of wickets: 1-42, 2-78, 3-361, 4-365, 5-500, 6-519, 7-523.
Bowling: S Lakmal 21.2-2-80-0, L Gamage 25.3-7-95-2, D Perera 31.1-0-145-1, L Sandakan 33.5-1-167-4, D de Silva 16-0-48-0.
Sri Lanka 1st innings:
D Karunaratne c Saha b M Shami 0
D Perera lbw b R Jadeja 42
D de Silva lbw b I Sharma 1
A Mathews batting 57
D Chandimal batting 25
Extras: (NB-1, PEN-5) 6
Total (For 3 wickets in 44.3 overs) 131
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-14, 3-75.
Bowling: M Shami 11-3-30-1, I Sharma 10-4-44-1, R Jadeja 14.3-6-24-1, R Ashwin 9-3-28-0.
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