Samson was found guilty of a Level 1 offence under Article 2.8 of the code of conduct, which relates to showing dissent at an umpire’s decision. He admitted to the offence and accepted the match referee’s sanction.

Samson then engaged on-field umpires KN Ananthapadmanabhan and Ulhas Gandhe in a prolonged conversation before leaving the field.

The dismissal was a key moment in the match, with RR’s hopes of overhauling their target resting largely on Samson’s shoulders – they needed 60 off 27 balls before he was dismissed.

“It depends on replays and angles, and sometimes you think the foot’s touched,” he said at his post-match press conference. “But it is a difficult one for the third umpire to judge. The game was at a crucial stage, so that happens in cricket. We have different perspectives on it. At the end of the day, you have to stand by that decision in terms of what the umpires did. If we have any other kind of opinion on it, we will share it with the umpire and sort it out. But irrespective of that dismissal, we still should have probably seen that game home.”

“In IPL some moments are very crucial, and it [Hope’s catch] was a deciding moment in the game,” Amre said. “Sanju was batting so well. We have to give credit to the way Hope judged that catch, he balanced himself [well] with that. Umpires are there, and there is so much technology. Once he is given out by the third umpire, it was more [clear]. We also thought from the dugout that he has [touched the boundary cushions] but it [happens] in the game, and the umpire’s decision is the final decision. It wasn’t an easy catch, it was really travelling. After the game also I spoke [to Hope], he anticipated that very well, but he said the ball came very, very fast.”

Sri Lanka 169 for 5 (Athapaththu 102, Silva 26*, Slater 2-35) beat Scotland101 for 7 (Chatterji 30, Prabodhani 3-13, Priyadharshani 1-13) by 68 runs

As a result, Sri Lanka will slot into Group A alongside Australia, India, New Zealand and Pakistan, while Scotland will be part of Group B alongside South Africa, England, West Indies and Bangladesh in the World Cup proper in October.

After Scotland asked Sri Lanka to bat, Athapaththu lost her opening partner Vishmi Gunaratne in the third over. Harshitha Samarawickrama was the next one to depart, in the sixth over, after being pinned in front by Katherine Fraser. Kavisha Dilhari at No. 4 then contributed 15 off 13 balls before being stumped off Abtaha Maqsood.

Athapaththu, meanwhile, continued to pile on the runs single-handedly, contributing 83 runs in her 106-run stand with Nilakshika Silva. She brought up her century in the 19th over, off 60 balls. Athapaththu hit 13 fours and four sixes in her 63-ball stay before falling to Rachel Slater with four balls remaining in Sri Lanka’s innings. A six by Silva off the penultimate ball then set Scotland a target of 170.

Sri Lanka’s spinners then took over, stifling Scotland in the middle overs. Priyanaz Chatterji fought hard with a 34-ball 30, but didn’t find much help at the other end, as Scotland eventually fell 68 runs short.

Before they met on Tuesday, both Sri Lanka and Scotland had already booked their spot at the T20 World Cup proper, set to be played in Bangladesh later this year, after beating UAE and Ireland, respectively, on Friday.