Sri Lanka's cricket board Wednesday fined captain Dimuth Karunaratne $7,000 after he was arrested for drink-driving, with the player also ordered to stand trial next month. Karunaratne, 30, has apologised for his "unbecoming" actions after he was detained for crashing into a three-wheel taxi on Sunday, leaving its driver injured.
"Sri Lanka Cricket decided to impose a fine of $7,000 on Dimuth Karunaratne, after the player was found to have violated the 'Player Contractual Obligation,'" the board said in a statement. However, the board will take no further action as he had maintained a "very high professional standard as a player".
A magistrate has suspended Karunaratne's driving licence and fixed a trial for May 2. The cricket star was also asked to take a medical test. Police told the court that Karunaratne went through a red light and hit the taxi whose driver was hospitalised for minor injuries after the pre-dawn crash. "My actions were utterly unbecoming of a Sri Lankan national cricketer and I do apologise to all of you for this incident," Karunaratne said in a statement on Monday.
The incident came as Sri Lanka decides who will be captain for the national team at the World Cup starting in England on May 30.