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Thursday, 29 July 2021 01:38 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Kusal Mendis
Niroshan Dickwella
Danushka Gunathilaka
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
A disciplinary inquiry will be conducted today by the five-member committee headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Nimal Dissanayaka into the alleged misconduct of three Sri Lankan cricketers – Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka – during the recent tour to England.
The three cricketers had violated bio-secular quarantine regulations in Durham and were suspended from all forms of cricket by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) until the completion of the inquiry and were flown home midway during the tour.
“We have given them a show cause letter and they have responded to it. After that, we have given them the charge sheet and we are in the process of conducting the inquiry on Thursday,” said SLC CEO Ashley de Silva.
“The independent committee will conduct the inquiry and give us a recommendation. Based on that the Executive Committee will have to make a decision.”
The five-member independent panel comprises of Justice Nimal Dissanayaka (Retd. 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 (Retd.) M.R.W. de Zoysa.
SLC launched an investigation after a video was circulated on social media showing the three Sri Lankan cricketers Mendis, Dickwella and Gunathilaka roaming the streets of Durham on 27 June. The players were said to have broken the bio-bubble in which they were placed while on the tour to England.
The incident created an angry reaction on social media with many cricket fans criticising the behavior of the trio. The future of these three cricketers will be determined by the decision taken by the SLC ExCo based on the report submitted by the five-member panel.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan team Batting Coach Grant Flower who tested positive on his return from England has completed the 14-day quarantine period and has joined the High Performance Centre at Khettarama.
