Sri Lanka’s ‘terrible trio’ dropped from Indian series

Three  Sri Lankan cricket players ordered to leave the tour of England on  disciplinary grounds will be dropped from a home series against India in  July, officials said yesterday. 

Dubbed the “terrible trio” by media, vice captain Kusal Mendis,  opener Danushka Gunathilaka and wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella  returned home Tuesday. 

Sri Lanka Cricket officials said an inquiry into  how they left the team’s pandemic isolated hotel in England would start  after their mandatory two-week quarantine. 

None will be included in the three one day internationals and three Twenty20 games to start July 13. 
 “They are likely to get a minimum one-year suspension if found  guilty of several breaches of their contract,” one official told AFP,  speaking on condition of anonymity. 

The trio was also pulled out of the three-match one-day  international series against England after they were seen breaching  their bio-secure bubble ahead of the first ODI in Durham. 

Mendis and Dickwella were seen smoking in the streets of Durham, where they were based ahead of the ODI series. 

In a second video on social media, Gunathilaka is seen joining the pair, violating the coronavirus rules of their stay. 
England won the first ODI on Tuesday by five wickets. The second ODI is due to be played today with the final on Sunday. 

After Sri Lanka’s whitewash in the T20 series against England, their  fifth consecutive series defeat, disgruntled fans launched a campaign  to shun the team on social media.  

AFP