Dhaka, May 29: A scuffle broke out on the field during the four-day Emerging Team match between Bangladesh and South Africa in Dhaka. The clash between the Bangladesh batsman and the South African bowler went from bad to worse, with both seen raising their hands on each other. However, in the end, the umpire and the rest of the players intervened and separated the two. The incident started after an argument between Bangladesh’s 22-year-old batsman Rippon Mandal and 29-year-old South African fast bowler Shepo Entuli. No action has been taken in this matter yet, but both players could face bans. The umpires may soon file an official report on the incident.
Verbal Duel Turns Into Physical Confrontation
According to an ESPNcricinfo report, Rippon initially hit a six off Entuli’s ball. After this, his cold war with Entuli began. Both were seen staring at each other for a long time. However, as soon as Rippon moved toward his partner standing at the non-striker’s end, Entuli started saying something to the Bangladeshi batsman. After this, a scuffle broke out between the two, turning into a serious physical confrontation. Entuli tried to pull off Rippon’s helmet, prompting Rippon to respond by showing his bat. Umpire Qamaruzzaman attempted to stop Entuli, but despite this, Entuli repeatedly pulled at Rippon’s helmet. Eventually, other players stepped in to separate the two.
Possible Disciplinary Action Looms Over Players
It remains unclear what sparked the argument and what words were exchanged between the two. Three balls after the incident, Entuli threw the ball toward Rippon after stopping it during his follow-through, which the Bangladeshi batsman managed to block. ESPNcricinfo quoted commentator Nabil Qaiser, who was covering the match, as saying, “This is unacceptable. Usually, we see verbal altercations on the cricket field, not physical scuffles. Entuli also attempted to pull Rippon by holding his helmet.”
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