SLC on collision course with Sports Ministry

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) appears to be functioning normally despite its suspension from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and threats from the country's Sports Minister to install Arjuna Ranatunga as its interim head. Emboldened by the go-ahead from the ICC, the SLC continues to run the game in the country with no injunction from the courts either. The suspended body is, in fact, taking on the Sports Ministry, which initially dismissed it, head-on.

The President of the country also seems to have softened his stand towards the SLC. A couple of days back, he told Parliament that he would study the three letters sent by SLC chief Shammi Silva to the ICC (on November 6, 7, and 9, all in possession of this website), pleading for the suspension of the body, but there is no perceptible action. In fact, Ranil Wikremesinghe took a stand that is totally contrary to Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe-backed Ranatunga's comments that BCCI and Jay Shah run Sri Lanka Cricket.

"No Jay Shah doesn't run Sri Lankan cricket. They think that Jay Shah is supporting the cricket board. But I spoke to Jay Shah and felt sorry that his name had been dragged in and apologised," the Sri Lanka President told Indian website First Post. The court has deferred the matter to Monday (November 27).

Meanwhile, the SLC has gone on the offensive against the Sports Minister, disputing his claims of misappropriation of funds by the cricket body. In a release on Friday (November 24), the SLC said, "Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) wishes to state that the Ministry of Sports has misled the public and Sri Lanka Cricket by providing confusing details as to how it spent the Rs. 289 million grant provided by SLC to the National Sports Fund. A comparison between a document obtained by Sri Lanka Cricket from the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and the media release issued by the Ministry informing how the funds were spent shows glaring differences.

"In the media release issued by the Ministry of Sports on November 13, 2023, it provided details of 47 items on how the SLC's grant of Rs. 289 million has been spent. However, a document obtained by the SLC on November 23 under the Right to Information Act shows the ministry has spent money on 67 activities instead of the 47 mentioned in the media release."

The SLC also contends that two of the top Lanka players - Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera -- could not be part of the World Cup contingent because the Sports Ministry did not clear them. "Sri Lanka Cricket, despite its intention to send Hasaranga and Chameera to the World Cup with the plan to play them at some point in the tournament after the duo recover from injuries, did not succeed, as the sports ministry did not approve the sending of the two players without medical clearance," an SLC statement said on Friday. The Sports Ministry declined to give clearance on grounds of fitness, which may have been the right stand at that time.

As for the ICC, SLC remains suspended but can continue to take part in international competitions with its funding controlled by the ICC Board.