Indians asked to leave ground during women's ODI for suspicious behaviour

Five Indian nationals were asked to leave a cricket ground after officials noticed some form of suspicious behaviour. The suspected individuals were constantly seen speaking over the phone and assumed they were interacting with bookies. However, when asked, they simply said that they were updating people back home about the match. The game in question was between the Indian women’s team and the Sri Lankan women’s team and was being held at the Katunayake Ground in Sri Lanka.

The two teams were facing each other in the ICC Women’s Championship tournament, which will determine three teams who will automatically qualify for the 2021 Women’s World Cup. Sri Lanka Cricket authorities took this decision as they saw these individuals continuously using their phones.

One particular official, who wanted to remain anonymous, was quoted on India Today as saying, “They were seen talking on their mobile phones throughout the match. When questioned they said they were informing those back home on the game.”

According to the local officials, they were handed over to the police, who then questioned the individuals about whether they were affiliated with bookies.

Sri Lanka register a consolation victory

Sri Lanka won the final game of the three-match series in a last-over thriller. However, India had already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead before the start of the third ODI. India skipper Mithali Raj brought up yet another century and registered a career-best 125 in the first innings. The visitors finished with 253 on the board, but Raj’s counterpart Chamari Atapattu stole the limelight away from her with a match-winning 115.

Smriti Mandhana also contributed with a steady 51 at the top of the order after Jemimah Rodrigues fell for a duck. Amongst India’s bowlers, Jhulan Goswami finished with figures of 2 for 39 in her quota of 10 overs.

As for the incident at the ground, this isn’t the first time this has happened at a game of cricket. In August this year, a number of Indian and Pakistani nationals were asked to leave the venue of a domestic T20 tournament for similar suspicious behaviour.

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