India, June 18 -- The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) secretary Devajit Saikia has ruled out the board's participation in any capacity whatsoever in the wake of the ugly spat between Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sri Lanka A's Vishen Halambage, saying that the decision to penalise or take any action rests entirely with the match referee. The comments come as a clarification after it was widely speculated that the Indian cricket board should step in over what transpired in Dambulla on Monday evening.

Match referee Pradeep Jayapragash pulled up spinner Halambage with a fine, while Niroshan Dickwella, who intervened to separate the two, was also sanctioned. Halambage had reportedly sledged Sooryavanshi not only during this match but...