BAN, SA emerging players in on-field physical altercation | Watch

The incident unfolded midway through the final four-day match in Dhaka when Ripon Mondol struck a straight six off Tshepo Ntuli, leading to a physical confrontation

An intense on-field altercation marred the final four-day match between the Bangladesh Emerging Team and South Africa Emerging Team in Dhaka on Wednesday. The clash erupted when South African bowler Tshepo Ntuli confronted Bangladesh batter Ripon Mondol after being hit for a straight six. As the players exchanged heated glances, Ntuli charged at Ripon, triggering a scuffle that shocked spectators and commentators alike. The officials have not taken immediate disciplinary action, as match protocol requires the on-field umpires to file a formal report before sanctions can be imposed. This match marks the conclusion of the tour, where previous incidents had already highlighted rising tensions between the two sides. 

 

What actually happened?

The incident unfolded midway through the match when Ripon Mondol launched a straight six off Ntuli. As Ripon turned to walk back to his partner Mehidy Hasan, the South African quick reportedly glared at him before charging forward. What followed was an unexpected physical tussle, where both players shoved each other before Ntuli grabbed and pulled at Ripon’s helmet.

 

On-field umpire Kamruzzaman attempted to defuse the situation, but Ntuli managed to tug at the helmet a second time before being restrained. Shockingly, a few South African teammates of Ntuli appeared to support his aggression, advancing towards Ripon, who had taken off his helmet by then.

 

Check full video of the incident below:

 

Things got a bit heated in the BAN Emerging vs SA Emerging game#Cricket pic.twitter.com/tMMY0Yu9Xv

— Priyansh Jain (@priyansh0327) May 28, 2025

 

Just three deliveries after the scuffle, Ntuli again sparked controversy by throwing the ball at Ripon after a defensive shot. Ripon narrowly avoided being struck, further escalating the drama on the field.

Reactions and expected consequences

TV commentators were left stunned. Nabil Kaiser noted during the broadcast that while verbal altercations are not uncommon in cricket, physical confrontations of this magnitude are rare and deeply concerning. He emphasised that Ntuli’s act of striking Ripon’s helmet crossed a serious line.

 

According to a report from ESPNcricinfo, the match referee is preparing an official report, which will be submitted to both the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and Cricket South Africa (CSA). Disciplinary measures are expected soon.

Previous clashes on tour

This was not the first sign of friction between the two teams. During the one-day series in Rajshahi earlier in the tour, South Africa’s Andile Simelane and Bangladesh’s Jishan Alam were suspended after a heated exchange in the second match, ruling them out of the series decider.

 

The South Africa Emerging side lost the ODI series 2-1, while the opening four-day game in Chattogram ended in a draw. The current match, now overshadowed by controversy, is the final fixture of the tour.