Sri Lankan cricketers Dhanushka Gunathilaka and Chamika Karunaratne outsmarted each other in off-field jaunts and frolics that they were able to take their private passions to an outrageous level by outplaying a World Cup occasion that jeopardized and brought their entire team into disrepute.
So much so that even the government in a desperate move has now decided to step in and launch its own probe apparently less pleased with the investigation conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket the outcome of which showed leniency towards Karunaratne who got away with only a one-year ban that will not be implemented for the moment.
While Gunathilaka waits to face an Australian judge in a courthouse over his alleged role in the rape of a Sydney woman during last month’s T20 World Cup, Karunaratne is likely to find himself the subject of further public interest and scrutiny over claims he used his instantly-gained celebrity status not to enhance his team’s image but to accommodate his personal desires.
In a letter fired to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Secretary Mohan de Silva, himself a no-nonsense man, beleaguered team selector Pramodya Wickremasinghe has lashed out at the conduct of both Gunathilaka and Karunaratne while fearing that their presence creates a negative influence on the rest of the players.
“The recent inappropriate behaviour by him (Karunaratne) and Dhanushka Gunathilaka has hampered the team’s progress and unity and affected the mindset of our young national cricketers.
“We need to seriously address these issues and strict discipline has to be adhered to. A clear message has to be given to the team that indiscipline will not be tolerated”, Sri Lanka’s chief team selector Pramodya Wickremasinghe said in a bombshell letter to De Silva.
Wickremasinghe has in his letter brought it to the notice of SLC that Karunaratne was more focussed on meeting “ladies of Sri Lankan origin domiciled in Australia” than doing what he was selected to do as a member of a National team representing his country at an international event at ambassadorial level, in this case the World Cup.
Charging that Karunaratne was “more interested in his distractive personal matters”, Wickremasinghe has conveyed to De Silva that the player’s presence in the tour party was of no use as he cut team practices and preparations so he could “accommodate female companions at the hotel” besides his infamous casino brawl.
The letter to De Silva also drew reference to Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood showing no interest to have Karunaratne in the team for the concluded home ODI series against Afghanistan due to the coach “losing trust” in the player.
An official of SLC said they were “shocked” at the incidents involving Karunaratne and will have to review their one-year suspended ban imposed on him that came into effect last week before the revelations.