18 November 2023 12:00 am Views - 38
By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed the Cabinet subcommittee appointed to look into the cricket crisis to initiate talks with the ICC (International Cricket Council), Parliament was informed yesterday.
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera who is a member of the committee said the President had a discussion with Asian Cricket Council President Jay Shah on Thursday to discuss the cricket crisis.
He told this in Parliament while responding to a claim by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa alleging that Jay Shah’s father is the right-hand man of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Also, it is Sri Lanka Cricket which has requested the International Cricket Conference (ICC) to suspend Sri Lanka from its membership. This was done after a Zoom meeting which SLC officials had with Asian Cricket Council Secretary Jay Shah,” Mr. Premadasa said. Mr. Wijesekera said, “One must not politicize the cricket crisis using parliamentary privileges. Sri Lankan cricketers will not be able to play even division 1 cricket as a result of Sri Lanka’s suspension from ICC.”
“There are misinterpretations with regard to the appointment of cabinet subcommittee. It is wrongly perceived that the subcommittee was appointed to look into the interim committee appointed by the Sports Minister to administer cricket. The task given to the cabinet subcommittee is to determine ways and means to revive Sri Lanka’s cricket,” he added.
The Minister said there is no point in blaming the Asian Cricket Council or any other for the crisis Sri Lanka had suffered as politicization of the issue by the opposition had led to all troubles
Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said even ground boys cannot be paid their salaries because of the ICC suspension. Sri Lanka will lose the opportunity of hosting the Under 19 World Cup in January next year.
Our country will not be able to earn a single cent if it loses the opportunity of hosting the tournament, he said.
The Minister said the cricket crisis is becoming a diplomatic row, and it has to be avoided.