Calcutta: The International Cricket Council (ICC), on Friday, banned Upul Tharanga for three months after the Sri Lanka opener failed a drug test during the World Cup.

The 26-year-old pleaded guilty after taking herbal remedy to ease a shoulder injury. “Tharanga had no intention to enhance his sporting performance or to mask the use of a performance enhancing substance,” an ICC statement, released on Friday, said.

Tharanga had already been dropped by Sri Lanka for the tour of England. Tharanga, 26, provided a urine sample after the conclusion of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 semi-final between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, held in Colombo, on March 29.

His sample was subsequently tested by a WADA accredited laboratory and was found to contain metabolites of two glucocorticosteroids which are classified as ‘specified substances’ under WADA’s Prohibited List.