SLC Fines Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Hands One-Year Suspended Sentence

Sri Lanka batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa was on Monday fined USD 5,000 and handed a "one-year ban from all forms of cricket" by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for a breach of contract.

The ban, though, has been suspended for two years and the cricketer has been included in the 13-member squad currently undergoing training in Colombo "under a bio-bubble focusing on future tours".

Rajapaksa has been vocal about his omission from the Sri Lanka squad for the tour of England, which concluded on Sunday (July 4). Sri Lanka head coach Mickey Arthur too hasn't taken kindly to his public criticism.

Sir Lanka Cricket (SLC) issued a statement on Monday, saying, "National player Bhanuka Rajapaksa has been handed a one-year ban from all forms of cricket, which is suspended for two years and fined USD 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.

"In the meantime, a decision has been taken to draft Rajapaksa into the 13-member squad, currently undergoing training in Colombo, under a Bio-Bubble focusing on future tours," said the SLC statement.

"The said decision was taken after Rajapaksa having achieved the required fitness levels, which is one of the prerequisites for national selections. He is expected to join the bio-bubble tomorrow (July 6)," the statement added.