Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has handed its star bowling all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne a suspended one-year ban from all forms of cricket for breaching multiple terms of the Player Agreement during the recently finished T20 World Cup in Australia.
The SLC, however, did not elaborate on how Karunaratne breached 'several clauses' of its player agreement but said the player had pleaded guilty to all the charges levelled against him. He was also fined USD 5,000, the board said in a statement. Karunaratne was essential to Sri Lanka's victory at the Asia Cup earlier this year.
On November 23, the Sports Minister of Sri Lanka, Roshan Ranasinghe, gave the Sports Director General instructions to seek a report on Chamika Karunaratne's exclusion from the Sri Lanka ODI team facing Afghanistan. As a reason, the squad hasn’t been announced yet officially by the board. The Afghanistan team landed in Sri Lanka yesterday in preparation for the one-day international series that will start on November 25, Friday, at Pallekele, Kandy.
“Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to inform that at the disciplinary inquiry carried out by the three-member inquiry panel into the alleged violations by the nationally contracted player, Chamika Karunaratne, for breaching several clauses in the Player Agreement during the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup held in Australia, Mr. Karunaratne had pledged guilty for all charges leveled against him,” SLC said in a statement.
“Considering the seriousness of the violations committed by Mr. Karunaratne, the Inquiry Panel by its report has recommended to the Executive Committee of the SLC to strongly warn the player to refrain from further violations and to impose a punishment that will not have an impact on his cricketing career,” SLC added.
It has also been learnt that a go-ahead on the squad for the Afghanistan series has not yet been given as a result of several concerns regarding many dubious picks, including the removal of all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne.
“Subsequent to the said findings and recommendations of the inquiry panel the Executive Committee of SLC has handed a one-year ban from taking part in all forms of Cricket, and the said ban will be suspended for a period of one year. And further to the said suspended sentence a fine of USD 5,000/- was also imposed against Mr. Karunaratne,” SL further stated
Eearlier, Kolkata Knight Riders had released the Sri Lankan all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne ahead of IPL 2023 mini-auction. The two-time champions acquired the services of Chamika Karunaratne for Rs 50 Lakh in the mega-auction last year.
