In a dramatic fall from grace for Sanath Jayasuriya, the legendary former Sri Lanka opener was yesterday banned from all cricket for two years by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after admitting breaching two counts of the anti-corruption code. Jayasuriya accepted the sanctions after failing to "cooperate with any ACU investigation" and "obstructing or delaying any investigation, including concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation". Jayasuriya, however, escaped a maximum punishment of five years for his breach after taking into account his "previous good conduct". Jayasuriya's sanction will be backdated, starting from October 16, 2018.

Former India wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia, who had the best view of Jayasuriya's batting during the 1996 World Cup, where the southpaw was awarded the Player of the Tournament, said the Matara Mauler will always be regarded as the most destructive batsman of the 1990s. "I don't want to comment [on the ICC ban], but for me, he is the most destructive batsman Sri Lanka has ever produced [irrespective of the ban]," Mongia told mid-day from Baroda yesterday. "In the 1990s, he was the most destructive batsman. He and Romesh Kaluwitharana changed the concept of using the first 15 overs in one-day cricket. He [Jayasuriya] was a left-arm spinner, batting at No. 9 and 10, and was promoted to use the first 15 overs. Once he got the confidence, it was a different ball game altogether.