Due to violations of their membership responsibilities, the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday suspended Sri Lanka Cricket’s membership with immediate effect.
The suspension of Sri Lanka’s cricket membership was announced by the ICC in a statement following the board meeting earlier in the day.
Sri Lanka’s membership has been suspended because it has not complied with the requirement to conduct its affairs independently and without interference from the government.
“The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board has suspended Sri Lanka Cricket’s membership of the ICC with immediate effect. The ICC Board met today and determined that Sri Lanka Cricket is in serious breach of its obligations as a Member, in particular, the requirement to manage its affairs autonomously and ensure that there is no government interference in the governance, regulation and/or administration of cricket in Sri Lanka. The conditions of the suspension will be decided by the ICC Board in due course,” ICC said in a statement.
After their devastating loss to India at the ongoing ODI World Cup, there has been a significant change within Sri Lanka’s cricket administration. At the Wankhede Stadium, Sri Lanka was bundled out for a paltry 55 while attempting to reach a target of 358.
The Daily Mirror of Sri Lanka said on Monday that Roshan Ranasinghe, the country’s minister of sports, had suspended the entire Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board. In addition, World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga was named chair of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Interim Committee by Ranasinghe.
Arjuna Ranatunga, the captain of Sri Lanka during its 1996 World Cup victory, was chosen by Ranasinghe to lead a new temporary board. Among the seven members of the recently formed group were a former board president and a retired Supreme Court judge.
A few hours after the 1996 World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga led an interim committee to take over the SLC on Monday, Sri Lankan Sports Minister Roshan Ranasingha issued an interim order on Tuesday suspending the publication of the Gazette designating the Interim Committee of the cricket governing body.
