SLC hand Gunathilaka, Mendis and Dickwella one-year ban from international cricket

The Sri Lankan trio of Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka and Niroshan Dickwella have been suspended for one year from international cricket for their misconduct during the tour of England last month, during which they were found guilty of breaking Covid protocols. Mendis, Gunathilaka and Dickwella were all part of the T20I series against England, but were found roaming in the streets of Durham - a severe bubble-breach - prior to the ODIs, owing to which they were withdrawn from the tour immediately and sent back home. The trio were then indefinitely suspended - making them ineligible for selection - until a final decision was taken. 

While the committee that investigated the incident proposed a two-year ban for Gunathilaka and Mendis and a 18-month suspension for Dickwella, SLC decided to shorten the duration of the punishment, reducing it to 12 months. Notably, two of the three players in question had blemished records even prior to the incident in England. While Gunathilaka had served two previous suspensions, Mendis was in the news last year after running over a pedestrian while driving. Dickwella had no prior disciplinary breaches, but the wicket-keeper batsman has found himself be handed the same punishment as the other two players.