Dinesh Chandimal in action during the Test match against West Indies
Sri Lanka skipper Dinesh Chandimal has been charged by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for changing the condition of the ball during the second Test against West Indies at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia, on Sunday. The apex cricket body has charged Chandimal for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct in the fallout of the recent ball-tampering scandal.
The ICC confirmed the news on Twitter, saying: "Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal has been charged for breaching Level 2.2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct."
The ICC had levelled the same charge against Australia batsman Cameron Bancroft during the infamous Test in South Africa in March.
Resuming the second Test under protest, Sri Lanka strongly denied it tampered with the ball on the third day in which it finished trailing West Indies by 13 runs on Saturday.
Sri Lanka were charged with altering the condition of the ball by umpires Aleem Dar and Ian Gould, who reviewed video of West Indies first innings on Friday. They penalized the team before play on Saturday with a change of ball and the award of five runs to the West Indies.
Sri Lanka protested by refusing to leave their dressing room for nearly an hour and a half. Then the team went out to the middle and walked back to the boundary, where arguing with officials didn't relent for another 40 minutes.
Sri Lanka Cricket advised the team to play "under protest," that team management said no players "engaged in any wrongdoing," and it would take all steps to defend any player charged with "any unwarranted allegation."
West Indies resumed on day three on 118/2, which was bumped up to 123/2 by the penalty runs. But the home side was all out in a rush after tea for 300, a lead of 47 on the first innings.
Sri Lanka were 34/1 at stumps in their second innings, trailing by 13.
(With AP inputs)
