Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Kusal Perera has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance, the International Cricket Council has announced.
The 25-year-old will be recalled from the imminent tour of New Zealand after providing a positive sample for a random test conducted by the ICC during this summer’s home series against Pakistan.
A tweet from the governing body’s official account read: “ICC confirms OfficialSLC Kusal Perera provisionally suspended after a sample he provided was found to contain a prohibited substance.”
Perera has played three Test matches for Sri Lanka, scoring 169 runs. He came into the national Test team following the retirement of long-serving captain Kumar Sangakkara in August.
The first Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand is scheduled to begin in Dunedin on December 10th and Kaushal Silva is now expected to replace Perera in the tourists’ squad.
The Lions have already called up Vishwa Fernando after Dhammika Prasad was ruled out of action with a back injury.
