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India gifted 10 runs to Sri Lanka A because of Vipraj Nigam. Despite receiving warnings, the Indian batter continued running on the middle of the pitch, where batters are not allowed to take their strides.
For running between the wickets, batters use the sideways on the pitch. As the bowlers pitch the ball right in the middle, to keep the pitch undamaged, batters are not allowed to run through the middle.
Vipraj Nigam gifted Sri Lanka 10 runs because of his repeated mistakes
As Vipraj Nigam repeatedly did this multiple times in the ongoing match, the match officials handed India A a rare penalty. When Sri Lanka A bats in the second innings, there will be 10 runs automatically on the board because of the penalty on India.
Sri Lanka A opted to bowl first after winning the toss at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla. India came under pressure as they lost multiple wickets early in the match. They lost both of their openers, Prabhsimran Singh and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, for only 39 runs on the board. So far, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who won the Orange Cap for scoring the most runs in the IPL 2026 season for the Rajasthan Royals, is struggling to score runs in India.
On June 9, against Sri Lanka A, the emerging opener was dismissed for only 14, followed by a 44-run knock against Afghanistan A. Expectations are high on the 15-year-old as he is on the verge of making a debut for the senior cricket team. Because of the fiery form in IPL 2026, the national cricket team selectors named him for India's tour to Ireland and England.
Vipraj Nigam made the same mistake twice
Ruturaj Gaikwad, India, and A team captain, Tilak Varma, were also dismissed without claiming big runs. Suryansh Shedge and Vipraj Nigam helped the team to create some momentum against the hosts. Both of the batters claimed fifty-plus runs each.
When Sri Lanka comes to bat in the second innings, they will have an advantage because of the penalty on the Indian batter Vipraj Nigam. He was punished twice for the same reason. Each time, the penalty carried 5 runs, so two means 10 runs as a penalty for the Indian cricket team.
The first penalty was handed out in the 35th over after Vipraj ran on the protected area. A couple of overs later, he did the same, and the umpire acted as per the rule again.
What are the rules if a batter is accused of damaging a pitch?
"If either batter causes deliberate or avoidable damage to the pitch, other than as in 41.15, at the first instance, the umpire seeing the contravention shall, when the ball is dead, inform the other umpire of the occurrence. The bowler's end umpire shall then
warn both batters that the practice is unfair and indicate that this is a first and final warning. This warning shall apply throughout the innings," according to MCC rule.
It is unfair to cause deliberate or avoidable damage to the pitch. If the striker enters the protected area while playing or playing with the ball, he/she must move from it immediately thereafter. A batter will be deemed to be causing avoidable damage if either umpire considers that his/her presence on the pitch is without reasonable cause, Article 41.14.1 reads.
