Tuesday Dec 24, 2024
Tuesday Dec 24, 2024
Saturday, 7 August 2021 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
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Dimuth Karunaratne
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Sri Lanka Test captain Dimuth Karunaratne is expected to represent Nottinghamshire in the ongoing English County Championships, but he is faced with a visa clearance issue as Sri Lanka is a red-listed country in the UK due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
“Because we are in the red zone, I cannot fly directly to London. I have to go via Singapore, Austria or France, and I can enter the UK only after completing 10 days of quarantine,” said Karunaratne. “To get an express visa, it takes about 12 days, and then after that, I have to complete another 10 days of quarantine; so altogether, it will take 22 days. The county matches are recommencing on 30 August, so with 22 days lost, I will hardly have time for practice.”
Karunaratne said that the county wants him to play in their remaining four Championship matches but the only issue is the visa. “I am trying to go and play at least three matches but I don’t know whether the county will agree to that. Otherwise, I will have to forego the opportunity.”
Karunaratne said the offer from the county was there, but according to his calendar, he had to inform them of his unavailability to come from the start of the season.
“After the West Indies tour, we had the white ball series against Bangladesh, England, India, and South Africa; and I was the captain of the two formats, Test and ODI. Suddenly in March, when the selectors took a decision to keep me out of white-ball cricket, I lost the opportunity to play for the county. However, the offer has come back to me again to play for them, but the only hitch is the visa. I have informed the county about the visa issue and they are also trying to help me out from their end,” said Karunaratne.
The Lankan Test captain and opener has not played any cricket since the West Indies tour ended in March this year and has been at the centre of the ongoing player contract issue with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) that has left the cricketers without any monthly remuneration. (ST)
