Table of Contents

Sandun Weerakkodi who was sent to Dambulla to play practice matches ahead of the India series has tested positive for COVID-19. The Sri Lankan batsman in one of the two bio-bubbles has tested positive for Covid-19 as the virus outbreak continued to rock the home team ahead of its limited-overs series against India.

The group of players is training separately even as the virus outbreak forced a postponement of the series by four days after the home team’s batting coach Grant Flower and data analyst G T Niroshan have contracted the virus. 27-year-old Sandun Weerakkody has played three ODIs for Sri Lanka, scoring 73 runs with a best of 58.

Sandun Weerakkody. Pic: Getty Images — Sandun Weerakkodi. Pic: Getty Images

Sandun Weerakkodi Tests Covid-19 Positive

According to the report, Sandun Weerakkodi was with the 15 senior cricketers who were training while staying at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel. The report further stated that Sandun Weerakkodi, along with Bhanuka Rajapaksa and several other cricketers, were sent to Dambulla on Friday night to play practice games.

Sri Lanka Cricket(Photo credit: SLC Twitter)

The squad staying at Cinnamon Grand also includes Asela Guneratne, Angelo Perera, and Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and all of them will now have to undergo quarantine There is another group of 26 cricketers putting up in a separate bubble in Dambulla, and SLC said that they are all fine.

Grant Flower And GT Niroshan Earlier Tested Covid-19 Positive On Return From England Tour

The Indian cricket team’s six-match limited-overs series against Sri Lanka was on Friday rescheduled owing to a COVID-19 outbreak in the home team camp, with the first ODI now starting on July 18 instead of July 13.

Ben Stokes Image Source : GETTY IMAGES — Ben Stokes Image Source: GETTY IMAGES

Grant Flower and GT Niroshan — part of Sri Lanka’s support staff — have tested positive for the dreaded virus on return from the United Kingdom, which has forced Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to extend the hard quarantine period from the stipulated three days. Sandun Weerakoddy wasn’t a part of the UK-returned team.

That team is still in isolation after Grant Flower and GT Niroshan’s positive cases. The latest positive case came from a separate bubble of 13 players.

The Sri Lankan camp was apprehensive after it was learned that seven members of the England ODI contingent for the Pakistan series had tested positive. Following the development, the entire England squad was sent into isolation and a new team, led by Ben Stokes, was announced for the Pakistan series.

Sri Lanka recently returned from England, having been drubbed in both the T20Is and the ODIs. They were also embroiled in controversy as three players – vice-captain Kusal Mendis, wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella, and opening batsman Danushka Gunathilaka – were sent home from England for breaching bio-bubble protocols.