Wednesday 16 December 2015 13:23, UK
Sri Lanka's sports minister has defended Kusal Perera after he was withdrawn from Sri Lanka's tour of New Zealand for failing a drugs test.
The wicketkeeper was sent home last week ahead of the first Test after testing positive for a banned steroid during a random check.
Perera returned the positive test during Sri Lanka's summer series against Pakistan and his 'B' sample will now be sent for testing.
Sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekera has, however, backed the player and hinted at a conspiracy.
"We are doing all we can to defend him," Jayasekera said. "We are wondering if this allegation is a conspiracy to keep him out of next year's T20 World Cup."
Jayasekera also revealed Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena had spoken to Perera.
Perera was replaced in the Sri Lanka squad by Kaushal Silva, although Dinesh Chandimal kept wicket in the first Test in Dunedin as the tourists lost by 122 runs.
The ICC World Twenty20 starts in India in March and Sri Lanka have been drawn in Group 1 alongside South Africa, West Indies and England.
