Bhanuka Rajapaksa fined $5000 and handed one-year suspended ban

The fallout in Sri Lankan cricket continues as middle-order batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa has been fined $5000 and handed a one-year ban (suspended for two years) for  breaching the obligations of Player Contract 2019/2020 while appearing in Social and other Media Interviews. Rajapaksa, 29, broke into the Sri Lankan T20I team two years ago but has been overlooked by the national selectors post the pandemic restart for failing to meet desired fitness standards. As a result, the southpaw has been publicly critical of the selection process, but the criticism resulting in a breach of contract has seen SLC hand Rajapaksa a suspended one-year ban and a $5000 fine.

“National Player Bhanuka Rajapaksa has been handed a one-year ban from all forms of cricket, which is suspended for two years and fined US$ 5,000 after an inquiry found that the player has breached the obligations of Player Contract 2019/2020 while appearing in Social and other Media Interviews,” SLC confirmed in a statement.

However, Rajapaksa has, nevertheless, been added to a 13-man squad currently undergoing training in Colombo, under a Bio-Bubble focusing on future tours. SLC said that the decision was taken after the batsman achieved ‘required fitness levels’.

Sri Lanka’s next assignment will be a three-match ODI series against India, with the first ODI kicking off in Colombo on June 13.