Former Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka has been fined $ 10,000 by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for breaching his contractual obligations after allegedly faking an injury to leave a first-class match in Sri Lanka in order to play for the Dubai Capitals in the UAE.
Dasun Shanaka had travelled to Sri Lanka at the request of his club SSC while playing for Dubai Capitals in the United Arab Emirates. Factually, Dasun Shanaka had come to Sri Lanka to play a match and then returned to Dubai the same afternoon.
The fine was imposed on the basis that it was an offence to travel outside Sri Lanka without being registered as a professional player. It is noteworthy that SLC did not charge Dasun Shanaka with any other disciplinary charges during the investigation into this matter. However, it is reported that a number of parties had come forward to pay the fine imposed on Shanaka. It is reported that Dasun claims that he got into trouble while fulfilling his duties for his club.
It is reported that during the Inter-Club First Division match between SSC and Moors held at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo, SSC Cricket Secretary Ashan de Silva had written to Dasun Shanaka to come to Sri Lanka from Dubai and participate in the match. The message informed Dasun that due to the unfortunate situation in which SSC is facing relegation in the Inter-Club tournament, he was requested to come to Sri Lanka from the Dubai Franchise tournament. Ashan de Silva had also informed Dasun that he will be allowed to return to Dubai on the same day after finishing the match against Moors.
Dasun Shanaka, who immediately returned to Sri Lanka at the request of his club, scored 123 runs in 87 balls with 8 sixes and 10 fours in the three-day match against Moors played at the P. Sara Oval and on the same night he displayed his skills by scoring 34 runs in 12 balls with 2 sixes and 4 fours for Dubai Capitals in a T/20 match against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. Accordingly, Dasun Shanaka managed to score 157 runs in two countries in one day with 10 sixes and 14 fours.
Dasun was hit on the neck by a ball while trying to hit a ‘swipe’ during the match against Moors was reportedly given a fitness certificate by a sports medicine specialist Ruwan Jayasuriya in Colombo.
The medical certificate, obtained before leaving for Dubai, states that the ball hit on the neck did not affect his ability to play after taking a short break.
In such a situation, Sri Lanka Cricket had sent a charge sheet to Dasun Shanaka and had given him time to fulfill the charge. Meanwhile, Dasun Shanaka also participated in the final match of the preliminary round against NCC for SSC Sports Club last weekend.
