Sri Lanka Cricket suspends pacer Madushanka for alleged possession of drugs (Lead)

Colombo, May 26: Sri Lanka Cricket on Tuesday suspended pacer Shehan Madushanka from all forms of cricket after he was found with alleged possession of illegal drugs.

"Sri Lanka Cricket decided to suspend Shehan Madushanka from all forms of cricket, with immediate effect.

"The decision was taken following the player was arrested by the police and later sent on remand custody for alleged possession of illegal drugs," a statement on the board's official website, cricket.lk, read.

"The decision to suspend will remain intact until a full inquiry is conducted by the SLC into the matter," it added.

Earlier, according to Ceylon Today newspaper, Madushanka was carrying over two grams of the drug when he was caught in the town on Pannala.

He was stopped by the police while he was driving his car with another person during a nationwide curfew due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The young pacer, who was arrested on Saturday, was produced before the Kuliyapitiya magistrate the following day.

The 25-year-old pacer rose to fame when he picked up a hat-trick on his ODI debut against Bangladesh in a tri-nation tournament final in January 2018. The three victims in his ODI hat-trick were Mashrafe Mortaza, Rubel Hossain and Mahmudullah.

He played two other T20Is on the same tour but hasn't represented the national side since.