Sri Lanka cricket trio face long bans for virus breach

A panel that investigated a breach of the bio-secure coronavirus bubble during Sri Lanka s limited over series in England has recommended bans of up to two years for three players accused, cricket official sources said Thursday.

The five-member panel told Sri Lanka Cricket that vice-captain Kusal Mendis and opening batter Danushka Gunathilaka should be barred from all forms of the game for two years, the sources said.

Niroshan Dickwella -- also seen in social media videos enjoying a night out on the eve of the first one-day international -- was recommended an 18-month ban, according to sources.

The panel said all three should be fined $25,000 each, the sources said, adding that the Sri Lanka board will take a final decision on the panel s recommendations.

"These recommendations now go to executive committee of the board which will take a final decision," one official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of any official announcement.

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

In a second video, Gunathilaka was seen joining the pair, violating the coronavirus rules of their stay in England.

Under strict coronavirus precautions the team was not allowed out of their bio-secure hotel.

The trio were sent home after the videos went viral and were also excluded from Sri Lanka s ongoing series against India.

Following the breach in England, disgruntled Sri Lankan fans launched a campaign to shun the team on social media, with fans sharing memes asking each other not to watch them on television.