India A were handed an unusual 10-run penalty during their tri-series match against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla after all-rounder Vipraj Nigam repeatedly ran through the protected area of the pitch. The infringement allowed Sri Lanka A to begin their chase with 10 runs already on the board, giving the hosts an unexpected advantage before the first ball of their innings was bowled.
The incident occurred during India A’s innings when Nigam, attempting quick runs, entered the protected central area of the pitch on more than one occasion. The umpires had already warned the batters about running on the pitch, but Nigam committed the offence again later in the innings.
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According to the laws of cricket, players must avoid running on the protected area as it can damage the surface and affect conditions for bowlers. Once a warning has been issued, any further breach results in a five-run penalty for the fielding side. Since Nigam repeated the mistake twice, Sri Lanka A were awarded a total of 10 penalty runs.
Rare punishment in professional cricket
Such penalties are uncommon at the highest level of the game, making the incident one of the major talking points of the match. The punishment meant Sri Lanka A effectively started their chase at 10 without loss, reducing the target they needed to achieve.
Nigam’s fighting fifty overshadowed
The penalty overshadowed what was otherwise a valuable contribution from Nigam with the bat. India A were in trouble after losing wickets regularly, but the youngster helped stabilise the innings with a crucial half-century.
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Nigam scored 51 runs and shared a 104-run partnership with Suryansh Shedge, who made 72. Their stand helped India A recover from a difficult position and post a competitive total of 265.
Despite the rescue effort, Nigam’s batting was largely overshadowed by the rare disciplinary setback. The incident served as a reminder of the importance of respecting the protected area of the pitch, with India A paying a heavy price for a mistake that is seldom seen in top-level cricket.
