Sri Lanka Cricket announce three strict rules regarding retirement culture

After the sudden retirements of Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Danushka Gunathilaka, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has taken three decisions related to the cricketers who have retired or intend to retire in the future. The media release also mentioned that the decisions will go into effect immediately. The three decisions made by the SLC are as follows-

“National players who intend to retire from national cricket should provide three months’ notice to Sri Lanka cricket of their intention to retire.”

“Retired national players who wish to obtain ‘’No Objection Certificates’’ (NOCs) to play in overseas franchise leagues will only be issued to such players who have completed six months of their effective date of retirement.”

“Retired national players will be considered eligible for local leagues such as the LPL, only if they have played 80% of matches in the Domestic Cricket Competitions conducted in the season prior to the conducting of the league.”

Bhanuka Rajapaksa handed his retirement letter to Sri Lanka Cricket on a very short notice

Rajapaksa announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 30 years on January 5, 2022. He gave a letter to the SLC where he mentioned that he is taking such a step due to familial obligations.

Rajapaksa was the leading run-scorer for Sri Lanka in the Under-19 World Cup 2010. But, he had to wait for around ten years after making his first-class debut to play for the Sri Lankan team. He made his T20I debut in October 2019 and his ODI debut in July 2021.

On January 7, Gunathilaka another Sri Lankan batter decided to draw a curtain over his Test career in order to focus on white-ball cricket. Gunathilaka was among the three players who were suspended for one year by Sri Lanka Cricket after they were found guilty of breaching the bio-bubble. SLC lifted his ban a day before he announced his retirement.

In June 2021, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis, and Gunathilaka were suspended by SLC for the bio-bubble breach during the tour to England. A video was uploaded on social media where Dickwella and Mendis were seen sitting in a public place without a mask. Gunathilaka was not in the video, but he admitted that he was also out with these two.