Govt considering appointing interim committee for Sri Lanka Cricket – Sports Minister

Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage says the government is considering transferring the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to an interim committee in the future, as part of efforts to address long-standing issues in the country’s cricket administration.

Speaking on the matter, the Minister stated that Sri Lanka Cricket has faced a continuous decline since winning the 2014 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. 

He emphasized that the failures within the system did not occur within a short period of six months or a single year, but have developed over a long period of time.

‘‘As a government, we have decided to intervene and take measures to resolve these issues,’‘ the Minister said.

He further noted that discussions are currently underway with the International Cricket Council (ICC) before implementing any administrative changes. 

‘‘We are currently discussing that framework,’‘ he said, when asked whether the government is pursuing the possibility of transferring cricket administration to an interim committee in the future.

However, before making any changes, we are discussing the matter with the ICC to ensure Sri Lanka Cricket will not be banned, he explained.

Minister Gamage also stated that a framework for the proposed changes is being developed with the involvement of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and a decision will be taken after determining the most appropriate methodology to implement the move.

He said a decision would likely be taken within the next week or two. 

Meanwhile, he said a decision regarding the upcoming Afghanistan series, which was scheduled to take place in the UAE, and the possibility of shifting it to Sri Lanka will be made within the next two days, considering the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

The Minister added that authorities are closely monitoring the situation before confirming whether the tour can proceed as scheduled.