Sri Lanka Cricket has suspended and recalled cricketers Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka, and Niroshan Dickwella for the serious offence of breaching the bio-secure bubble.
The disciplinary action came after a video went viral on social media of them out at night in Durham, England, breaching strict COVID-19 protocols. Players are barred from exiting their hotel but for their morning walk or run.
The Sri Lankan national team is currently in England within a bio-bubble as part of the ongoing cricket tournament and are set to play the first ODI in Durham tomorrow (29). The video shows that the cricketers were roaming the city with scant regard to regulations.
"They have been suspended," said SLC Secretary Mohan de Silva. "They will return home immediately.” Infuriated fans took to social media to condemn the cricketers’ indiscipline and have launched a campaign to unfollow them.
“They have admitted to the incident which has brought Sri Lanka cricket to disrepute,” de Silva said. “We will take the toughest action against them.”
Sri Lanka meekly conceded the first half the three-match T20 series, angering fans and former players alike.
Kusal Mendis, the vice-captain of the team, was recently involved in a hit-and-run accident which resulted in the death of a cyclist but escaped punishment from police and the Cricket Board. Gunathilaka has had several incidents of misconduct and was previously suspended for breaching the player code of conduct.
Former Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, Nishantha Wickramasinghe, arrested on allegation of corruption by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has been remanded until July 1 by the Colombo Magistrate court.
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