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Niroshan Dickwella (File Photo: X)
In what seems to be a relieving piece of news for Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella, he has finally got a clearance from the Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency (SLADA) to play all formats of the game after lifting the three-year-ban. Notably, the national cricketer was serving a three-year ban for allegedly using an anti-doping substance.
Things took an unfavourable turn for Dickwella when he tested positive in an anti-doping test conducted on him by SLADA. The Sri Lankan body imposed a three-year ban on the cricketer in the subsequent line of events.
However, the latest developments came up as a piece of good news for Dickwella as his appeal was heard following the lifting of the ban.
“Dickwella appealed the ban and submitted relevant evidence to show that no banned substances were consumed during the "competition period" and that the identified substance was unrelated to "enhancing sports performance,” reads an official release issued by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Niroshan Dickwella likely to make an international comeback after a long time
The apex governing body of cricket also understood that it was the successful appeal from Dickwella’s end that made SLADA to lift the ban from him with an immediate effect.
Notably, Dickwella made his last appearance for Sri Lanka in the Christchurch Test against New Zealand last year. He was also part of the playing XI, but he failed miserably and could score only 7 runs in the entire game. Later, he was also called up for the T20I series against Bangladesh earlier this year in March 2024. However, he failed to get a game for his side in the entire series.
Speaking of international career for Sri Lanka, the 31-year-old has played 54 Tests, scoring 2757 runs in 96 innings, averaging 30.97, with 22 half-centuries, alongside playing 55 ODIs to score 1604 runs in 52 innings, with two centuries and nine half-centuries. Dickwella has also scored 480 runs in 27 innings, with a half-century.