DAMBULLA, May 11: Sri Lanka fast bowler Prabath Nissanka has been fined and severely reprimanded by the match referee for showing dissent in the opening game of the triangular series against Pakistan on Saturday.

Nissanka was reported by umpires Simon Taufel and Peter Manuel for swearing and charged by match referee Gundappa Viswanath with a level one offence, according to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) code of conduct.

“The match referee, having conducted an inquiry after the close of play, decided to impose a fine of 20 percent of the match fee and severely reprimanded the player,” the ICC said in a statement on Sunday.

The incident occurred when Nissanka’s appeal for a catch behind off left-handed opener Taufiq Umar was turned down by Manuel.

Nissanka finished with figures of one for 26 in nine overs but Pakistan won the match against the tournament hosts by 79 runs.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s team management is concerned over the health of former skipper Sanath Jayasuriya after his fourth bout of tonsillitis in three months.

Jayasuriya stayed in bed and missed practice on Sunday after suffering with what manager Ajit Jayasekera described as “a severe fever.”

Jayasuriya was plagued with tonsillitis during the Super Six stage of the World Cup and was laid low again during last month’s Sharjah Cup.

He is expected to play in the tri-series game against New Zealand on Tuesday but Jayasekera said: “We are concerned by the number of times that he has been laid low by tonsillitis. This is the fourth time since the start of the World Cup.”

Officials hope Jayasuriya will be able to practice on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s match.—Reuters