Mumbai: 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. Sri Lanka’s sports minister Roshan Ranasinghe had sacked the national cricket board on November 6, days after a humiliating defeat by India at the World Cup. Ranasinghe had been at loggerheads with Sri Lanka Cricket the richest sports organisation on the financially stricken island for months over allegations of widespread corruption. Sri Lanka’s Court of Appeal, however, restored the board very next day. Ousted SLC President Shammi Silva petitioned the court against the dismissal and was granted a two-week stay order, with a full hearing to follow.

Anger over Sri Lanka’s miserable World Cup 2023 campaign has erupted after a humiliating 302-run thrashing by hosts India, with the island nation’s sports minister demanding the cricket board’s resignation. Sri Lanka were dismissed for 55 while chasing 358 in Mumbai on Thursday, the fourth-lowest total at a World Cup tournament. Sri Lanka has not won the Cricket World Cup since its sole victory in 1996.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 11 2023

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