IND vs SL: India bound Sri Lanka team recalled from airport
Sri Lankan Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera denied nine cricketers leaving for India to take part in a one-day series because Jayasekera was unhappy with the team choice.
"Most players reached the airport around 9 pm on Monday. Left-arm spinner Sachith Pathirana had even boarded the flight, but they were told to go back home as the team didn't have the approval of the minister of sports," a cricket official told Cricbuzz.
The nine players stopped from leaving were led by Captain Thisara Perera. The others are Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Asela Gunaratne, Chathuranga de Silva, Sachith Pathirana, Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Pradee.
A 1973 law gives the Sri Lankan sports minister the power to change national teams before they complete. According to report, the minister may order at least two changes to the squad named by the Sri Lanka Cricket board.