Sri Lanka Cricket hands 1-year suspension to Kithuruwan Vithanage

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have announced that they have suspended left-handed batsman Kithuruwan Vithanage for one year from all forms as he was found guilty of misconduct and breach of ICC Code of Conduct. SLC did not reveal the the exact reason for this decision, but believe that they have enough evidence to prove Vithanage is indeed guilty. Vithanage has played 10 Tests, six One-Day internationals (ODI) and three T20 Internationals (T20I) for Sri Lanka. His last appearance for his nation was a T20I, which he played against New Zealand at Auckland in January 2016. He also did not find a place in any side for the tour of England. READ: Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka 2014: Kithuruwan Vithanage faces discliplinary inquiry over alleged sex-scandal

According to the SLC release “After a closed hearing, and in consideration of the evaluation of the evidence presented, the Disciplinary Committee has recommended an immediate suspension, specifically drawing attention to the fact that the conduct of Vithanage is ‘unacceptable when considering his status as a public figure, and a role model for the youth of Sri Lanka’,” as reported by espncricinfo.com.

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Vithange is of course well within his rights to appeal this decision by SLC. Vithange made his international debut in a test match against Bangladesh at Galle. He has a century and a fifty to his name in his brief Test career. However he has not been impactful in the other two formats, averaging 15 and 13.33 in ODIs and T20Is so far. Vithange is a part-time leg-spinner as well.

He was not part f the Sri Lankan team that lost the Test, ODI and one-off T20I series against England. Skipper Angelo Mathews blamed the poor fitness levels of his teammate for the loss, but beieves that his side will put up a better show in the home series against Australia