Sri Lanka fast bowler Asitha Fernando has been penalized for misconduct on the third day of the ongoing Test match against Pakistan. A demerit point has also been added next to his name.

Pakistan won the first match of the two-match Test series with domination. Pakistan are ahead in the second match also. Babar Azam's team took a huge lead in the first innings. At the end of the third day, Pakistan's lead was 397 runs. As a result, Sri Lanka are again in danger of losing the match.

The Sri Lankans are desperate to get control of the match in the conditions of the Colombo Test. The outward form of this came out in the behavior of Asitha Fernando. He took the wicket of Saud Shakeel on the third day of the Colombo Test. Fernando broke the partnership of 109 runs between Shakeel and Abdullah Shafique by taking this wicket. Fernando celebrated aggressively by running towards Shakeel after taking the wicket.

Such celebrations by Fernando went against Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”

As a result, the match referee David Boon accused him of breaking level 1. Fernando admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Boon of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Alex Wharf and Raveendra Wimalasari, third umpire Rod Tucker and fourth umpire Prageeth Rambukwella levelled the charge.