In a bold move, the Sri Lankan government has taken strict action against the country’s sports authorities following the national cricket team’s humiliating 302-run defeat against India in the World Cup 2023. Sri Lanka’s sports minister, Roshan Ranasinghe, accused the cricket board of widespread corruption and promptly removed the entire board from their positions.
In the wake of these developments, the sports minister appointed 1996 World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga as the chairman of a newly formed 7-member interim board. This interim board will include three judges and will play a crucial role in overseeing and reforming the country’s cricket administration.
The decision to sack the cricket board and appoint an interim committee comes after Sri Lanka’s recent dismal performance against India in the World Cup. The Sri Lankan cricket team suffered a major setback when they were all out for just 55 runs during the 33rd match of the ICC World Cup 2023. This marked the fourth-lowest team total in the history of the World Cup.
This disappointing performance reminded many of the Asia Cup 2023 finals, where Sri Lanka, the defending champions, were all-out for a mere 50 runs, ultimately leading to India’s easy victory with a 10-wicket margin.
“Sri Lanka Cricket had become known as the most corrupt institution in the country,” said Arjuna Ranatunga, the newly appointed chairman of the interim board. He emphasized his commitment to changing this negative image and expressed his determination to revive Sri Lankan cricket.
The decision to take action against the cricket board reflects a broader issue of widespread corruption allegations in Sri Lankan cricket. Prior to this drastic step, the cricket board’s second-highest officer, Secretary Mohan de Silva, had decided to step down from his role. He cited the poor performance of the Sri Lankan cricket team in the ICC World Cup 2023 as one of the reasons for his resignation.
The 302-run loss to India provoked strong public indignation, resulting in the deployment of law enforcement personnel outside the cricket board’s office in Colombo. Simultaneously, fervent demonstrations occurred, reflecting the public’s dissatisfaction with the state of Sri Lankan cricket.
Roshan Ranasinghe, Sri Lanka’s sports minister, argued that the authorities of Sri Lanka Cricket had lost their moral and ethical legitimacy to continue in their positions, ultimately leading to the comprehensive overhaul of the cricket board’s leadership.
