Dickwella suspended for two limited-overs internationals

Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella will not be able to play his team’s next two limited-overs internationals after his latest indiscretion at Simonds Stadium.

Sri Lanka's Niroshan Dickwella (front left) walks back after being dismissed in Geelong on Sunday.

Niroshan Dickwella, the Sri Lanka wicketkeeper, has been debarred from two limited-overs internationals after his latest sanction by the International Cricket Council for showing dissent to an umpiring decision in the second Twenty20 International against Australia on Sunday. According to the latest ‘demerit points’ system followed by the ICC, which seeks to look at violations within a two-year period collectively for a player, Dickwella now has five demerit points - two from the latest incident and three from the One-Day International series in South Africa that finished earlier this month.

Dickwella was thus not authorised to participate in a Test, or two limited-overs internationals, whichever arrived earlier in Sri Lanka’s schedule. Therefore, he will miss the third T20I against Australia on Wednesday in Adelaide, and the first ODI against Bangladesh on March 25.

Dickwella had reacted aggressively after being given out caught behind at Simonds Stadium in Geelong, in a match which his team won off the last ball to clinch the series. For sending the batsman off with the use of “inappropriate” language, Australia’s wicketkeeper Tim Paine was also given a sanction, albeit a smaller one as compared to Dickwella. Paine collected a single demerit point and was fined 15 per cent of his match fee.