"Match over... now you go home..." - something along those lines was allegedly said by Vishen Halambage to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, sparking an instant flare-up between the two after the conclusion of a tempers-marred Super Over contest between India A and Sri Lanka A in Dambulla on Monday evening. The two players were seen getting physical before teammates intervened to defuse the situation.

India A's openers failed to chase down the 17-run target in the Super Over bowled by Kugathas Mathulan, a 19-year-old slinger from Jaffna, handing Sri Lanka A victory in a thrilling contest that was concluded in virtual darkness. After the match - and the subsequent bust-up between Sooryavanshi and Halambage - the players completed the customary handshakes.

The physical altercation could have had serious consequences for the players involved. However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) does not normally adjudicate disciplinary matters arising from A-team series. Nor does it appoint the match officials for such series.

Post-match, there was a discussion in the Sri Lanka A dressing room, during which several suggestions were made, one of them being that the team should apologise to the Indian side. Whether they will do so remains to be seen, but the situation should never have reached that point in the first place, especially given that the match had ended in a tie and there was arguably insufficient light for a Super Over to be played.

There are conflicting accounts of what led to the Super Over. It is being said that India captain Tilak Varma, who was seen engaged in an animated discussion with the umpires, insisted on Super Over to be played after Sri Lanka equalled India's total of 265. The Sri Lankan side, apparently, did not want a tie-breaker in that situation.

At the same time, it is learnt that the umpires may have gone back on an understanding with the India captain by allowing the play to continue even after the light had deteriorated totally. It is understood that the umpires had indicated that India's innings in the Super Over would be halted if the light worsened further, which, as seen on live telecast and according to those present, is exactly what happened.

An SLC official admitted to Cricbuzz, "There should never have been a Super Over in the first place." But the umpiring during the match, of course, left a lot to be desired. On-field umpires Prageeth Rambukwella and Shantha Fonseka penalised India by awarding Sri Lanka A 10 penalty runs, ruling that Vipraj Nigam had run on the protected area of the pitch twice after the official warnings.

In the final analysis, that decision proved vital, as Sri Lanka A effectively began their chase with 10 runs on the board and eventually matched India A's total. As if that were not enough, third umpire Chamara de Zoysa adjudged an Arshad Khan delivery in the Super Over a waist-high no-ball - a call that was, at the very least, debatable.