By: Staff Writer
Colombo (LNW): Underfire Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the Selection Committee have been asked to resign from their posts or face drastic action after national cricket teams debacle in the world cup 2023.
Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe has urged the Executive Committee (ExCo) of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the Selection Committee to step down from their positions or face drastic action, in light of the Lions’ crushing defeat to India by a massive 302 runs in the ODI 33 of the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
In a press release, the lawmaker said the cricket board’s ExCo and the Selection Committee should bear the responsibility for the recent defeats the national team has faced.
Sri Lanka officials have no moral, ethical right to remain in office. They should resign from their posts,” the Minister has said.
He also said that the non-inclusion of senior cricketers like Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal had an effect on Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign.
“The victimization of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal by not including them in the World Cup squad also had an effect on Sri Lanka’s debacle at the World Cup,” he claimed.
“It is a joke that SLC is defending the selectors and its executive committee.
His remarks followed SLC President Shammi Silva’s letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe about the ‘challenging situation’ that the national cricket board is currently facing.,
He alleged that the day-to-day operations and professional conduct of the cricket board are being greatly affected due to what he said a ‘deliberate harassment’ from the Sports Ministry.
Silva said this interference and continuous condemnation with false accusations about the SLC and its officials are negatively affecting the administrative progress and sought President Wickremesinghe’s immediate intervention to address the unresolved issues and ensure that SLC can function independently and efficiently to fulfill all of its responsibilities:
The cricket board’s chairman also alleged that there was a lack of response from the Sports Ministry, despite the initial communication on August 03, 2023, about securing hosting rights for the ICC World Cup under 19 in Jan 2024
Cricket has been a unifying force and provided respite amid civil war and political and economic crises in Sri Lanka. But it has now become divisive political infighting element bringing hard feelings of once jubilant local cricket fans.
The island nation once again in global headlines following the bashing inflicted on the national cricket team by powerful india pushing Sri lanka mind set to lowest ebb in recent times
Previously Sri Lanka ‘s governance system of the previous regime was making global headlines for all protest campaigns , including crushing debt problems and failing to protect workers’ rights, debt crisis and economic issues.
The Sri Lankan cricket board has been accused of financial misappropriation, heavy unnecessary spending, corruption and favouritism only benefiting its members to lead luxurious lifestyles, cricket critics alleged.
Ahead of the ICC World Cup, leading global gambling apps, including sports betting have dismissed the team’s chances of winning the decoration.
On top of it India’s massive publicity campaign in all print, electronic and social media aimed at lifting the moral of their national team while pushing Sri lanka to lowest level .in some instance Srilankan spectators had not been allowed to carry Sri Lanka national flags inside Indian pavilions, several media reports revealed.
What’s the truth behind accusations against the nation’s biggest, wealthiest, and most prominent sporting body?
Does Sri Lanka have any chance of silencing their many doubters and becoming champions? The pool of problems facing Sri Lankan cricket is deeper than many know.
