A heated confrontation broke out between South Africa’s Tshepo Ntuli and Bangladesh’s Ripon Mondol during Day 2 of the second unofficial four-day Test match between the two emerging teams. The intense clash occurred at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka, on May 28, 2025, during a closely contested session of play.
Bangladesh was batting first and had posted 286 for 8 in 104 overs. Tshepo Ntuli, an off-spinner for South Africa, was handed the ball to start the 105th over. Facing him was number 10 batter Ripon Mondol, who immediately made an impact by smashing a massive straight six off Ntuli’s first delivery. As Mondol returned to his crease, he appeared to glance at Ntuli — a moment that may have sparked the confrontation.
What followed was completely unexpected. Ntuli stormed toward Ripon, reportedly muttered something under his breath, and then shoved the Bangladeshi batter. In a moment of aggression, he even grabbed onto the grill of Ripon’s helmet.
Ripon, caught off guard, instinctively pushed him back. The situation escalated quickly, prompting immediate intervention from umpires and South African players to prevent the altercation from turning uglier.
The incident was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media, drawing attention to the intensity and passion in the match. The clip has sparked debates among fans and experts, many of whom have criticized the lack of composure displayed on the field.
Things got out of control between Tshepo Ntuli and Ripon Mondol during the SA Emerging vs Bangladesh Emerging match today and the umpires were forced to intervene pic.twitter.com/EhYC6KVj4u
— Werner (@Werries_) May 28, 2025
Both Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) are expected to review the incident once the match officials submit their report. Disciplinary action may follow, as both boards look to maintain sportsmanship and professionalism in international cricket, even at the developmental level.