Controversial Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds has been sent home from the World Twenty20 tournament in England on disciplinary grounds.
Cricket Australia said the 33-year-old, who was absent from training on Thursday, was dismissed after breaking rules relating to alcohol.
CA Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland told a press conference in Melbourne Symonds would return to Australia as soon as possible and an application will be made to the ICC to replace him in the 15-man Australian squad.
Australia begins its campaign in the tournament against the West Indies on Saturday.
Sutherland said the decision to send Symonds home is regrettable.
"The breach of team rules of itself was not a major offence but was in effect the final straw after a series of previous indiscretions and in the light of the undertakings Andrew had given.
"I am disappointed in Andrew, but I am also disappointed for him after all the work he has done with Australian cricket's support in the last year - - and CA will be encouraging and supporting him with continuing rehabilitation on his return home".
Symonds is due to leave London immediately and expected to return home to Queensland during the weekend.
The incident is the latest in a long line of off-field misdemeanours involving the player.
The Queenslander had already been left out of Australia's 16-man Ashes squad.
In January, he was fined 400 Australian dollars by Cricket Australia for calling New Zealand wicket-keeper batsman Brendon McCullum a "lump of s**t" in a radio interview.
In August 2008, he was sent home from Australia's one-day squad to play Bangladesh in Darwin after missing a compulsory team meeting and going fishing.
