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Shanaka in trouble with SLC after two matches in two countries in one day
Sri Lanka Cricket will conduct an inquiry over allegations that Dasun Shanaka left a first-class match in Colombo hours early, in order to play for the Dubai Capitals in the UAE that same evening on February 2.
The board’s chargesheet to Shanaka includes the allegation that first-class match referee Wendell Labrooy had been led to believe Shanaka had a concussion, in order to approve a substitute. This is according to SLC CEO Ashley de Silva, who told ESPNcricinfo “SSC [Shanaka’s first-class club] would probably be conducting their own inquiry as well”.
Shanaka, however, told ESPNcricinfo that de Silva and others had been aware that he would have to leave the first-class match early. According to Shanaka, he had left the ground soon after being dismissed on the third morning of the the three-day match. He said he visited a doctor at a nearby hospital first, to inspect a blow to the neck he had sustained while playing a sweep shot that morning, and then headed off to Dubai to play that evening’s T20, after a separate physiotherapist had cleared him to play.
“SLC and the club knew I had to leave,” Shanaka said. “I only came back because there was a request from the SSC to play this first-class match. But my other team wanted me back, as I’d helped win two games for them earlier in the tournament.”
For SLC, however, exiting a league game early, particularly with suspect reasons, is problematic, not that it has yet been established if there actually was any pretense involved. The board CEO de Silva explained that while Lasith Malinga had also famously played a Mumbai Indians match and then broken records in a domestic match in a match at Pallekele the next day, Malinga had played until both those matches reached their conclusion.
On the surface, though, Shanaka’s looks like a spectacular cricketing feat. He had been among the three players called back from the ILT20 by the SSC for their fixture against Moors Sports Club in the Major League Tournament, as SSC strove to avoid relegation. Shanaka had played the first two days of this three-dayer, bowling 21 overs and taking a wicket in Moors’ innings, before finishing on 39 not out at the end of day two.
Day three is when the absconding is alleged to have occurred, but before he left, Shanaka crashed a further 84, hitting 123 off 87 balls in total, 88 of those runs coming in boundaries. Though SSC’s innings ended not long after he got out, Shanaka did not bowl an over in the next Moors innings (the third of the match), and played no further part in the game.
What is clear is that several hours later, he appeared for the Capitals in Dubai, and struck 34 off 12 at No. 5, helping his team to 217 against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. He didn’t bowl in the Knight Riders’ innings either, however.
Capitals would go on to win the ILT20, Shanaka playing three further games for them. He has not appeared for SSC since February 2.
[Cricinfo]
President Anura Kumara Disanayake stated that steps will be taken to provide the necessary facilities to eliminate organized crime and drug abuse, as well as to introduce new legislation.
The President made these remarks during a discussion held today (18) at the Presidential Secretariat with the police chiefs of the Western Province.
He emphasized that maintaining the rule of law is a key responsibility of the Police Department.
President Anura Kumara Disanayake further stated that a just society cannot be established in Sri Lanka without ensuring the supremacy of the rule of law.
Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Ananda Wijepala; Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala; Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, Ravi Seneviratne; Acting Inspector General of Police, Priyantha Weerasooriya; and several Western Province police chiefs were also present at the event.
The Aswasuma Welfare Benefit payment Scheme has been implementing from 01-07-2023 and this scheme has been finally amended by the Extra Ordinary Gazette No 2415/66 dated 21-12-2024.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, to publish the following through a Gazette Notification, amending the benefits provided under the presently empowered Aswasuma Welfare Benefit payment Scheme within the provisions allocated by the budget estimate for the year 2025.
• To extend the period of entitlement of benefits for the transitional social category included in schedule 1 of the Aswasuma Welfare Benefit payment Scheme up to 30-04-2025.
• To increase the monthly assistance payment from Rs. 7,500 to Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 provided to persons with disabilities and receiving treatment for kidney diseases and elderly persons, respectively, that are included in Schedule II of the said scheme and to
implement the said decision from April 2025.
• To extend the period of payment provided for the disable persons, kidney patients, and elderly persons given in the Schedule II, up to 31-12-2025 subject to the above proposals.
• Even though the payment of allowances under the transitional social category will be stopped after April 2025, the period of payment for disabled persons, kidney patients, and elderly persons, of these families will be extended up to 31-12-2025.
• Payment of relevant eligible persons by inclusion of newly forwarded applications of disabled and kidney patients subject to the maximum limit up to 31-12-2025.
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