Thaindian News

Dambulla, Aug 18 (IANS) Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara Wednesday regretted the no-ball controversy involving Suraj Randiv and Indian batsman Virender Sehwag, saying that as a team they take the responsibility of the matter.
Without taking any names Sangakkara, hinted that the issue should not have been “sensationalised.”

“I think if you all talk of the spirit of the game, once you set right things in motion, it’s the responsibility of all players, to be within that spirit. We can’t expect just one side to keep making the advances and holding out the hand while it has been sensationalised by other players, I think everyone’s got the responsibility to move on from this incident,” Sangakkara said ahead of their match against New Zealand Thursday.

Randiv’s action came under heavy criticism from Sehwag. Randiv and the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) apologised to Sewhag for denying him a hundred.

“Randiv came to my room and apologised,” Sehwag wrote on his Twitter page.

Sangakkara said he first thought Sehwag has scored his hundred and came to know only during the post-match presentation that his remained unbeaten on 99.

“I regret what happened overall. We need to take up the responsibility as a team and we need to get back to the right mindset ahead of tomorrow’s game,” said Sangakkara.

“I spoke my mind out to the team on the whole incident. I had a chat with my team manager as well,” Sangakkara said.

“We have taken the necessary steps. I have spoke to Mahi (captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni) and coach Gary Kirsten. Sehwag has tweeted that there have been other approaches made to him,” Sangakkara said.

Later, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in a statement said that Randiv was banned for a match and ordered forfeiture of the match fees of opener Tillakaratne Dilshan for acting in an unsporting manner that deprived Sehwag a century in the third one-day international of the tri-series Monday.

“Sri Lanka Cricket is extremely proud of its team and their achievements over the years. It is of paramount importance to maintain the discipline of the Gentlemen’s game, especially with Sri Lanka Cricket being winners of the ‘ICC Spirit of the Game’ award for two consecutive years,” SLC said in a statement.

The disciplinary actions was taken by the six-member committee that met here to take actions on the report submitted by the team manager.

Sangakkara was also reprimanded and has been advised to ensure that such incident don’t occur again in future.

The incident Monday took place in the 35th over when Sehwag, batting on 99 and India needing just one run for victory, struck Randiv for a huge six over long-off and raised his bat in celebration, only to realise a moment later that it was a big no-ball from the off-spinner and his runs would not be counted.

Sehwag remained on 99 and missed his 13th ODI hundred when Randiv, who had not bowled a no ball in a Test or ODI series this season, bowled one which was hit by the opener for a six.

The six was not counted because the no ball gave India the winning run.

International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat said that he is also closely looking into the matter.