Sri Lanka batsman Danushka Gunathilaka has been suspended from all forms of international cricket by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) pending an inquiry. The development came at the end of the third day's play in the second and final Test between Sri Lanka and South Africa in Colombo.

Without offering details or much comment, an SLC statement said: "The decision to suspend the player was taken following an initial inquiry conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket, after the team management reported that the player had violated the ‘Code of Conduct'." 

Gunathilaka's match fee for the ongoing second Test against South Africa will be withheld while the suspension comes into effect immediately after the match at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground.

Gunathilaka has been no stranger to controversy. In January he was officially reprimanded for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the Twenty20 International tri-series against Bangladesh when he gave Tamim Iqbal a send-off, which earned him one demerit point.

In 2017, after displaying a poor attitude towards training when Sri Lanka hosted India, the batsman was suspended for six white-ball matches for misconduct – later revised to three with three matches being part of a suspended sentence – and was subsequently omitted from the one-day international squad to face Pakistan.

In the ongoing Test match, which Sri Lanka are in a superb position to win and seal the series 2-0, Gunathilaka has played a big part, scoring 57 and 61.

Source: News 18

BDST: 1025 HRS, JUL 23, 2018
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