Jayasuriya given 2year ban

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya was banned from cricket for two years yesterday for refusing to cooperate in an investigation of corruption in his country’s cricket.

The International Cricket Council made the decision after Jayasuriya admitted to breaching two counts of its anticorruption code.

He was charged last October with failing or refusing to cooperate, and obstructing or delaying the investigation, and said at the time he has ‘‘always conducted [himself] with integrity and transparency’’ in cricket.

‘‘This conviction under the code demonstrates the importance of participants in cricket cooperating with investigations,’’ Alex Marshall, the general manager of the ICC anticorruption unit, said in a statement. ‘‘Compelling participants to cooperate under the code is a vital weapon in our efforts to rid our sport of corruptors. These rules are essential to maintain the integrity of our sport.

The unit has been trying to rid Sri Lanka cricket of inherent corruption for the past year, and Marshall said a recent amnesty drew 11 players and others to come forward with information.

Jayasuriya helped Sri Lanka win the Cricket World Cup in 1996, captained the team to the semifinals in 2003, and came back from retirement to help the team reach another final in 2007.

The allrounder played 445 oneday internationals and 110 tests before retiring for good in 2011. By then he was a member of parliament. He also became the chairman of selectors in 2013 and resigned in 2017 after a second stint.