A return of the three musketeers?
Sri Lanka Cricket(SLC) could allow the three banned cricketers–Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka–to play domestic cricket when the season starts with the Major Club limited-over tournament in October.
Kusal Mendis
The three cricketers admitted to breaching the bio-secure bubble during the Sri Lanka tour of England in June and were banned for six months from domestic cricket, one year from international cricket and imposed fines of Rs 10mn each. They were also given two-year additional sentences suspended for one year.
The bans were effective from July 30, 2021, the day SLC executive committee imposed the ban considering the recommendations of a five-member Disciplinary Panel.
However, weeks after they made written appeals to the Sports Ministry and SLC pleading a review of the punishments imposed on them, cricketers Kusal Mendis and Niroshan Dickwella met with the SLC hierarchy on Thursday to beg for leniency. Mendis and Gunathilaka lodged their appeals on August 9 while Dickwella made his three days later, on August 12.
Gunathilaka who is holidaying in Maldives with his family, is expected to meet them at a later date. One of the main requests from the players was to allow them to take part in domestic cricket in order to keep abreast of the game. The other was to reduce the hefty fine of Rs 10mn imposed on them. Board President Shammi Silva had flatly rejected the latter but promised to look on the former favourably.
This could mean the trio could return for action in October, provided the existing quarantine curfew is lifted, when the first class limited-over tournament kicks off. The Board will also send them for counselling soon. They will also be available for selection if and when the Board decides to conduct the second edition of the Lanka Premier League.
Niroshan Dickwella
“The important thing is the remorse. They regret what they have done and it’s only fair for us to bring them back to domestic cricket at our earliest,” an SLC official said, on the condition of anonymity. “They are three fantastic cricketers who could have made it to the World Cup squad but unfortunately they not only risked their careers but also let down Sri Lanka cricket. We will welcome them to domestic cricket but other punishments will stay intact as they must learn their lesson.”
The suspensions and fines were imposed after the three players admitted to charges of breaching the bio-secure bubble and team curfew during the infamous night-out in Durham during the tour of England. Two separates videos that emerged on social media on June 27, 2021, showed the three accused on a night out in Durham violating the COVID-19 safety guidelines and instructions as well as the team curfew.
The more serious was the first offence in which they had risked the safety of themselves, others in the team, all others involved in the tournament including the host team England, and put the rest of the England tour in jeopardy.
Strict bio-secure bubbles are maintained for player safety to avoid possible cancellation of games due to infections and Cricket Boards around the globe spend several millions of dollars, in addition to usual expenditure, to maintain foolproof safety nets.
Danushka Gunathilaka
The punishments were met with mixed reactions. Many disgruntled crickets fans welcomed them but others believed they were too harsh, particularly keeping them out of domestic cricket for six months. All three are considered key players in the national team and, with the World Cup around the corner, their services were vital. Their presence would have made Sri Lanka’s fragile top order stronger.
The selectors had just appointed Mendis as vice-captain of the national side, giving him more responsibility, and Dickwella, having captained his school and national Under-19 side, was a captain-in-waiting when the incident took place.
Gunathilaka has been impressive with the bat in limited-over cricket but his off-field behaviour has been controversial. He has had two other inquiries. In 2018, he was given a six-match suspension for breaching team curfew and, as recently as April this year, he was directed to attend an year of counselling after an inquiry over an alleged brawl at a hotel in Matara, a coastal city in the southern part of Sri Lanka. Only a year ago, Mendis was involved in a hit-and-run which killed a 64-year-old cyclist. The SLC did not bat an eyelid on that.