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His resignation is seen as an effort to maintain transparency and avoid any ethical complications in the matter
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Sri Lanka's Sports Minister, Roshan Ranasinghe, took drastic action on Monday in response to the humbling loss to India in the...
Digital Desk: Sri Lanka's Sports Minister, Roshan Ranasinghe, took drastic action on Monday in response to the humbling loss to India in the 2023 World Cup, dismissing the entire Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board. The crushing defeat by a staggering 302 runs in Mumbai on November 2 had shaken the nation, leading to a groundswell of public outrage and calls for the resignation of the Shammi Silva-led SLC administration. The discontent had reached a crescendo, with several demonstrations staged outside the SLC premises, demanding the Silva administration's resignation.
As tensions flared, riot police were deployed to safeguard the SLC building. Ranasinghe wasted no time and swiftly appointed an interim seven-member committee to oversee the cricket board, with former World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga at the helm. The formation of this committee was facilitated under the authority of Sports Law No. 25 of 1973. Ranasinghe had been locked in a contentious battle with Sri Lanka Cricket for months, primarily over allegations of widespread corruption within the organization.
"Sri Lanka Cricket has been besieged with complaints of player disciplinary issues, management corruption, financial misconduct, and match-fixing allegations," Ranasinghe emphasized in letters released to Sri Lankan media. "Interim measures will be taken to establish good governance principles."
The International Cricket Council (ICC) had previously compelled Ranasinghe to withdraw a three-member panel he had appointed to probe alleged board corruption due to interference rule violations. The ICC has not yet responded to Ranasinghe's latest move, and Shammi Silva, the ousted board president who secured a third consecutive term in May, has refrained from commenting on the situation.
The newly formed committee, consisting of three retired judges, including two women, and former SLC chair Upali Dharmadasa, signifies the return of Arjuna Ranatunga to a leadership role in Sri Lankan cricket. Ranatunga had previously led a similar interim committee in 2008 and had been critical of the Silva administration's management. Silva, originally elected as SLC chief for his third consecutive term until 2025, now faces an uncertain future in the wake of recent developments that have reshaped the landscape of Sri Lankan cricket administration.
"Sri Lanka Cricket had become known as the most corrupt institution in the country. I want to change that image," said Ranatunga.
The defeat against India in the 2023 World Cup marked Sri Lanka's second straight woeful performance against their neighboring rivals in ODIs. Prior to being dismissed for just 55 at the Wankhede Stadium, they were bundled out for 50 in the Asia Cup final in Colombo on September 17. Sri Lanka's heavy loss to India in the World Cup, the second-largest margin of defeat in the tournament, not only embarrassed the team but also dashed their hopes of qualifying for the semifinals. With only two wins from seven games, Sri Lanka currently languishes in seventh place, one spot below Afghanistan in the World Cup standings.
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