Sri Lanka have made the uncommon move of appointing a fast bowler as captain, with paceman Suranga Lakmal to take the reins in Dinesh Chandimal’s absence for the third Test against West Indies.
Chandimal was suspended for the Caribbean’s maiden day-night Test match, which begins Saturday, after losing an appeal over ball-tampering charges.
That has forced Sri Lanka Cricket to find a new skipper for the landmark match, with 31-year-old quick Lakmal to become his nation’s 16th Test captain.
Chandimal, 28, was slapped with two suspension points and fined 100 per cent of his match fee for the offence. The points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20s.
“Judicial Commissioner, Michael Beloff, has dismissed Dinesh Chandimal’s appeal after the Sri Lanka captain was found guilty of changing the condition of the ball during the second day’s play in the second Test against the Windies in St Lucia on Saturday,” said a statement released by the ICC.
The player was suspected of using saliva and a sweet that he had in his mouth to tamper with the ball. His action was picked up on television images.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka coach Chandika Hathurusinghe and manager Asanka Gurusinha were cleared for the third Test after, along with Chandimal, admitting “conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game”.
The preliminary hearing for this breach will take place on July 10 with the decision on sanction to follow.
However, “until the hearing takes place, and Beloff determines the appropriate sanction, Hathurusinghe and Gurusinha can continue to perform their professional responsibilities, including in the Barbados Test,” added the ICC.
