SL veteran to chair interim committee after ministry suspends cricket board over dismal World Cup show

Ahead of Monday’s World Cup 2023 fixture in Delhi between two Asian giants, Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe suspended the Cricket Board over allegations of widespread corruption within the board and the team’s dismal show in the ongoing tournament. Ranasinghe appointed a seven-member interim committee to run operations and handpicked CWC-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga as the head. The committee would include a former Supreme Court judge and an ex-board president.

The developments unfolded after the resignation of the SLC board’s second-highest officer, Secretary Mohan de Silva, on Sunday.

After a humiliating loss to India by 302 runs at the Wankhede in Mumbai, there was a public outcry in Sri Lanka on Saturday, with the ministry deploying police personnel to curb protests outside of the cricket board office in Colombo.

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Upset over the functioning of the board and the team's performance on the field, Ranasinghe publicly expressed his displeasure, accusing board members of lacking morality and ethical right to remain in office. The Sports Minister also labelled the officials as ‘traitorous and corrupt’.

Ranasinghe also wrote to the full members of the International Cricket Council (ICC), seeking support and understanding, considering ICC’s regulations against political interference in cricket.

"Sri Lanka Cricket has been besieged with complaints of player disciplinary issues, management corruption, financial misconduct, and match-fixing allegations," Ranasinghe stated in the letters, which were released to Sri Lankan media.

Upon getting elected as the new head of the interim seven-member committee, Arjuna Ranatunga will oversee day-to-day activities unless a new panel is formed.

Earlier, Prasanna Ranatunga, Arjuna’s brother, had previously stated in the parliament that the 1996 World Cup win was a ‘curse for our cricket.’ He attributed the infusion of money into their cricket board after the win as a major factor that attracted individuals with intentions to engage in corrupt practices.

Sri Lanka staring at a World Cup exit 

Having won just two out of seven contested matches in World Cup 2023, Sri Lanka find themselves in the bottom half of the points table with a possible exit even if they win their remaining two games.

A shocking Asia Cup repeat display against India at the Wankhede stunned the cricket world and the Sri Lankan fans, who were seeking respite after going through the nightmare in Colombo a few weeks ago.