The West Indies team found themselves in a controversy two days before their World Twenty20 semi-final against Australia when police arrested three women who, they say, had been guests of players at a Colombo hotel early on Wednesday morning. The women, all British nationals, were released on bail without being charged and the team management said the matter was now closed.

"Ministerial Security Division (MSD) guards assigned to protect the players carried out the arrest and the three women were handed over to the Kollupitiya police station for further investigations," a police statement, quoted by AFP, said.

The West Indies media manager, Philip Spooner, said the matter had been dealt with. "As far as the West Indies team is concerned there was an incident that was handled by the police," he told ESPNcricinfo. "It is being reported as a Chris Gayle issue. It is not a Chris Gayle issue. The matter was dealt with by the police and it is now closed. Our focus is strictly on cricket and our next assignment is the semi-finals on Friday."

West Indies were the second team to qualify for the semi-finals from Group 1 in the Super Eights, after beating England and getting past New Zealand in a Super Over finish.