Banned cricketers’ names included in LPL Player Draft

Thursday, 28 October 2021 04:49 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Banned trio: Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka

LPL 2 could mark their return to domestic cricket

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The names of Sri Lanka’s three banned cricketers – Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka – have been included in the Player Draft for the second edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) that will take place in Colombo and Hambantota from 5-23 December. The Player Draft was due to be held yesterday.

Depending on their selections for the five different franchises, it will be the first time these three cricketers will be coming out to play competitive cricket since being banned in July by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for one year from international cricket and six months from domestic cricket apart from being fined Rs. 10 million each and a one-year suspended ban from international cricket for a period of two years. They were also directed to mandatory counselling under a doctor recommended by SLC.

Since being punished, the trio had appealed against their suspension to SLC and its Management Committee took a decision that if they pay the fine of Rs. 10 million each and get a good report from the doctor conducting the counselling Nawaloka Hospital Consultant Psychiatrist Dr. Chamara Wijesinghe they would be allowed to play in the domestic circuit.

SLC Secretary Mohan de Silva said that the three players have paid their respective fines, and whilst they were awaiting for a report on their counselling, their names have, in the meanwhile, been included in the LPL 2 Player Draft, thus paving the way for their return to domestic cricket.

Mendis, Dickwella and Gunathilaka were found guilty of breaching the COVID-19 virus team bubble on Sunday night (27 June) wandering on the streets of Durham city during Sri Lanka’s cricket tour to England. Following an inquiry into the incident the three players were subsequently punished by SLC.