SLC bans Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, and Danushka Gunathilaka for one year

Sri Lankan cricketers Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, and Danushka Gunathilaka have been banned by Sri Lanka cricket for one year from all forms of international cricket and for six months from domestic cricket. The players have also been fined 10 million Sri Lanka Rupees. This decision has come after the cricketers had breached the Covid-19 restrictions in England. The trio happens to be important to the Sri Lankan team and this comes as a big blow for the team.

To look upon this matter, a five-member Committee was formed which was supposed to conduct the disciplinary action about this incident. The panel that included Justice Nimal Dissanayaka (Retired Judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka), Panduka Keerthinanda, (Attorney-at-Law), Asela Rekawa (Attorney-at-Law), Uchitha Wickremasinghe (Attorney-at-Law), and Major General (Retired) M. R. W. De Zoysa had previously recommended about the ban and fine on the players. The decision thus was awaited to be given the green signal from the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Executive Committee.

Earlier, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board was expected to start the hearing on the matter on Thursday, July 29. The Sri Lankan vice-captain Kusal Mendis, wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka were found guilty of not following the necessary protocols of the covid-19 bio-secure bubble during their series in England.

The three Sri Lanka cricketers had breached the bio-secure restrictions during the UK tour

With the ongoing pandemic and the uncertainties it has been bringing in everybody’s lives, cricket has been played in closed doors and under the strict bio-secure bubble. However, when such incidences take place, it causes a threat to the entire team and the series. Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka & Niroshan Dickwella were seen roaming on the streets of Durham during their tour to England.

The videos and images of these players not adhering to the necessary protocols had gone viral on social media. The cricket on-lookers had expressed their disappointment at the irresponsible act of the players. Sri Lanka had a dismaying outing in England where they were outplayed by the hosts as they lost both the ODI and the T20I series. This had placed the team under major scrutiny.