The Sri Lanka cricket team is going through a period of change at the moment and in such a situation it has got a big setback. Just ahead of the T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has decided to ban three big players for one year. Senior players Kushal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunatilaka were on Friday fined Sri Lankan rupees one crore along with a one-year ban for violating the Covid-19 protocol on the tour of England last month.
During the limited overs series against England, someone caught the three of them roaming the streets of Durham on camera. He broke the team’s bio-bubble (safe environment created to protect against corona). He was then sent back home in the middle of the tour. He also faced a disciplinary committee headed by a retired judge, which recommended 18-month bans for Dickwella, and two years for Mendis and Gunatilaka.
However, the SLC committee on Friday banned him for six months from playing domestic cricket and one year for international cricket. His remaining one-year sentence has been suspended. This suspended sentence will be valid for two years and during this time these players will have to avoid violating the rules again.
The SLC made three charges against the players, including putting other players in danger by ignoring the guidelines related to Covid-19, not reaching their hotel room by 10.30 pm and defaming the country and the board.