On Friday (17th November), the Sri Lankan government expressed their regret to Jay Shah over controversial remarks by former skipper of the Sri Lankan cricket team Arjuna Ranatunga. Tensions had escalated between Sri Lanka’s former cricket players and current administrators when Ranatunga, a former World Cup-winning captain, held Jay Shah responsible for the current dire state of Sri Lankan cricket.
Sri Lankan Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said in parliament, “We, as a government, express our regret to the Asian Cricket Council chief Jay Shah. We cannot point our fingers at the Asian Cricket Council or other countries for the shortcomings of our institutions. It is a wrong assumption.”
Sri Lanka’s Tourism Minister Harin Fernando stated that President Ranil Wickramasinghe has engaged in discussions with Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), to lift the sanctions imposed on Sri Lankan cricket by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Minister Fernando cautioned that the ICC ban could have adverse consequences for the country, particularly affecting the upcoming Under-19 Cricket World Cup scheduled for January next year. He said, “If the ICC ban is not lifted, Sri Lanka won’t be able to participate in any tournaments. We won’t receive any funds from cricket tournaments.”
Notably, on Thursday (16th November), Arjuna Ranatunga said, “Because of the connection between Sri Lankan Cricket officials and Jay Shah, they (the BCCI) are under the impression that they can trample and control SLC. Jay Shah is running Sri Lanka Cricket. SLC is being ruined because of pressure from Jay Shah. One man in India is ruining Sri Lankan cricket. He is only powerful because of his father, who is India’s home minister.”
Sri Lanka secured ninth position in the league standings of the ongoing ODI World Cup with only two victories, causing them to fall short of automatic qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Due to governmental interference in matters concerning the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board, the ICC imposed an indefinite ban on the board.
Sri Lanka Cricket Board banned by ICC
Sri Lanka Cricket was suspended by ICC for ‘excessive government interference’ after the Sri Lankan team’s exit from the ongoing World Cup in India. On 10th November, ICC suspended SLC with immediate effect, after the board was sacked by the minister and then was reinstated by a court.
Notably, troubles with the Sri Lankan cricket board peaked after its disastrous defeat by 302 runs against India in the ongoing World Cup in Mumbai. The Sri Lankan parliament unanimously asked Sri Lanka Cricket’s elected board members to resign, accusing them of unprecedented corruption. The allegations of corruption against the board were made by the sports minister, and the parliament agreed with him. However, the board didn’t resign.
After that, Sri Lanka’s sports minister Roshan Ranasinghe sacked the SLC board and installed an interim committee headed by Arjuna Ranatunga on 6th November. But a court of appeal stayed the minister’s order for 14 days on 7th November, reinstating the current board, after SLC president Shammi Silva filed an appeal against the minister’s sacking order.
However, this was seen as excessive government interference in the sporting body by the ICC, and it suspended the SLC on 10th November. However, reportedly SLC itself requested the ICC to suspend it, to put pressure on the Sri Lankan government to not interfere in its matters.
