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Resign now, Sports Minister tells Sri Lanka Cricket
Threatens drastic action if they don’t
Colombo (Daily Mirror) - As the fallout of Sri Lanka’s embarrassing 302-run defeat to India in the Cricket World Cup continues, Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe has called for the immediate resignation of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), threatening drastic action if they do not.
In a media release, the Minister said that SLC and the national selectors should take responsibility for a disastrous World Cup campaign that was exacerbated by Thursday’s defeat.
“Sri Lanka officials have no moral, ethical right to remain in office. They should..resign from their posts,” the Minister has said.
He also said that the non-inclusion of senior cricketers like Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal had an effect on Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign.
“The victimization of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal by not including them in the World Cup squad also had an effect on Sri Lanka’s debacle at the World Cup,” he claimed.
“It is a joke that SLC is defending the selectors and its executive committee.”
In a separate letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Sports Minister highlighted SLC’s association with brands that have links to Betting and Gambling companies.
“The Sri Lanka Cricket Board's present leadership has made choices that have resulted in considerable damage to the organization. Various Sri Lankan players have faced allegations of involvement in match-fixing schemes, and there has been a public backlash against Sri Lanka Cricket's perceived promotion of a culture of betting and gambling,” he wrote.
“The organization's decision to allow such entities to participate in the Lanka Premier League has been met with criticism as Betting and Gambling is a strictly restrained business while promoting related activities is illegal by several acts of Parliament,” the Minister’s letter to the President read.
The letter came after SLC themselves wrote to the President complaining that several of its activities have been hindered by inaction from the Sports Minister.
In their letter, SLC said that the Minister had not yet given necessary approvals required to conduct the Under 19 World Cup and a franchise-based T10 league, in Sri Lanka.
Comments - 65
Comments - Resign now, Sports Minister tells Sri Lanka Cricket
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Chryshan Friday, 03 November 2023 06:58 PM
We should all rally around sports minister to give him strength to remove the whole board of SLC. Even if we get banned from ICC for a while. Anyway we need time to come back strong again. Sack them all. We need new board, new selectors new coaches who will select and train new players with the strength of past cricketers.
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D P P Prasad Friday, 03 November 2023 06:59 PM
Whatsoever Srilankan cricket should be free from all political encumbrance. Other wise ICC will take stern action against Srilanka eventually Srilanka will be deprived of the test status
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Rohan Friday, 03 November 2023 07:25 PM
Minister you have hopes.
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Appuhamy Friday, 03 November 2023 07:26 PM
Sack all the beggars who filling their pockets with Dollars without any substantial contribution to the game. Mahela you are a joke and please go back to Bombay . It’s disgrace to have person paid so much and when the match starts he is at the airport. We understand of your need to be back home but it’s your job and national responsibility. Enough is enough with SLC Please go so that it can be revamped taking the best interest of the country. Also sack the entire team and pick boys from leading colleges from all over the island so that it can be called national team and not Moratuwa club.
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public Friday, 03 November 2023 07:33 PM
Sir if there is any balls left in you sack the SLC the general public is behind you.
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Naojayas Friday, 03 November 2023 07:33 PM
Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, you too have to resign immediately, with the rest of the officials
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Bring Interim committee Friday, 03 November 2023 07:45 PM
Minister ,no more talks ,no more letters. Just sack
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Be Brave Minister Friday, 03 November 2023 07:50 PM
# Go Home SLC. Did Mahela do a favouration to India by choosing to bat first. Both Rohit
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DJ Friday, 03 November 2023 08:11 PM
Hello, you are the sports minister? you need to sack them all, including you.
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Why should he? Saturday, 04 November 2023 01:33 AM
Why should he? He is not the cricket minister but sportts minister. Other sports are doing well in the world stage.
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Gert Jan, the Netherlands Friday, 03 November 2023 08:23 PM
I will not comment on the game, because I don't know anything about cricket. But I am very surprised that a Minister is interfering and get involved? Is he an expert and sportsman too? And if he is, I am still surprised he can sack cricket officials as a politician.
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Uncle Paradise Friday, 03 November 2023 09:06 PM
Ministers demanding accountability from cricketers... has to be the irony of ironies.
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Reason Friday, 03 November 2023 09:26 PM
@Gert Jan, the Netherlands, better not comment, the issue is they are not cricket officials but a set of thieves
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The stark Truth Friday, 03 November 2023 09:38 PM
The present SLC board crooked officials are hanging on to their posts with the help of the Indian board officials is not secret. Therefore they did not want to upset Indian board at their ground in anyway
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Deva Friday, 03 November 2023 09:42 PM
Mr. Minister when the country went bankrupt did you'll resign and go home ? Just asking ok.
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Good question Saturday, 04 November 2023 01:51 AM
Thats a fair enough question. Fully agree. I suspect this minister was appointed after the bankruptcy.
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Dee Friday, 03 November 2023 10:24 PM
No sir! You resign! So should the president! And call for immediate general elections! That’s going by the ideology of the buffaloes mentality and f the majority of ‘educated voters’ ! (Most who have run away from SL!) . We need subversives to run this cou!
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Be Wise Friday, 03 November 2023 10:34 PM
@Deva,don't get confused one wrong does not mean you all can do wrong that as an excuse.
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Karen Friday, 03 November 2023 10:46 PM
No one will resign and go.when the country went down no the President and the prime minister was chased out by the people. Similarly cricket board also to be chased out including the minister. The SLC president is a crook everyone knows.
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Suhail Friday, 03 November 2023 10:58 PM
what a Joke to ball first in a batting wicket Kusal and Mahela back your bags
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Amaran Saturday, 04 November 2023 01:22 AM
The whole board should RESIGN IMMEDIATELY. IF they remain, that means nothing but CORRUPTION.
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Representative sample Saturday, 04 November 2023 01:26 AM
I cannot even understand why the SL public is so crossed with the SL cricket team and the SLC. Do you all ever realise that the team and SLC are a representative sample of the SLn population? Same goes for the government too. These players and politicians were selected from the same SLn population. They were not imported from elsewhere. So calm down. Nothing will improve because the only thing that can happen is a clown will replace an existing one and the process will repeat without any progress. I hope you people are intelligent enough to understand what I am trying to highlight. I can only pray for devine intervention.
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Nilmini Welivita Saturday, 04 November 2023 01:52 AM
Sack all the players too, they only bring I'll repute to the country.
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Ram Saturday, 04 November 2023 02:23 AM
Not only the SLC even in the Parliament and the cabinet there are crooks who do not deliver. One such crook was removed and given another good portfolio. This is a game that is being played everywhere and this Minister Roshan is trying to fix the CLC. He is not likely to get the support from his superiors
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NeverEnding Aragala Saturday, 04 November 2023 02:52 AM
Don't forget that in the first instance "our boys" had to qualify for the tournament. Then they have beaten England and gave a good account in the other games except against Afghanistan. Against India they batted under difficult conditions when their turn came. A battle was lost but not the war
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Anura Rajasinghe Saturday, 04 November 2023 03:00 AM
Clear case of political interference by the Minister. Matthews was the cause for the terrible failure of the team. Old men, and idiot Ministers who do not understand cricket should stay out and be kept out of the game. If Minister takes any action whatsoever, and already he has taken drastic action of asking for resign of SLC, the ICC should ban any new SLC appointment from the Minister. Better country be banned from world cricket to end the politics of the Parliament people and old idiots who support useless fellows like Matthews.
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Herman Perera Saturday, 04 November 2023 04:08 AM
Corruption is a VIRUS in Sri Lanka
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Andrew Silva Saturday, 04 November 2023 04:22 AM
When there is a mixture of politics and sport the result is obvious.
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Francis Kurukulasuriya Saturday, 04 November 2023 04:36 AM
The present board of management, selection committee and the coaching staff are an effective and tangible threat to the gentleman's game of CRICKET! This is a do or die situation. Take a good look at the prevailing crisis. This is the sad consequence due to accumulation of bad decisions, bad policies, bad principles of the SLC's officials. Open your eyes, be prudent, use your wisdom, seek advice from the professionals in the game. Make a sound decision to rectify the system. Give us back the immaculate game of CRICKET!
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Tissa Fernando Saturday, 04 November 2023 05:27 AM
OK,cut their funds. Period.
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Sam Saturday, 04 November 2023 05:28 AM
Don't just blame only the SLC, Selectors. Don't just put up conspiracy theories on betting, gambling and etc. The players need to be held accountable too. Having Mathews or Chandimal would have severed any better. They were given enough chances before. The current players do not have the real determination to fight. Play for their country. They win one much then start relaxing. Look at Virat, in spite of achieving so much, he still wants perform in every match. See how much effort he puts in his fitness. It has to come from the players too.
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A disgusted cricket fan Saturday, 04 November 2023 05:29 AM
SLC EXECUTIVES MUST RESIGN. It is SLC that increased the number of First Division Teams to 26 to get more votes when most of the countries with much higher populations have about 6. If Sri Lanka with a population of 22.0 million has 26 First Class Teams, India should have 1650 Teams but India only has 38 teams. SLC also spends its funds on activities unrelated to cricket. Apart from paying Coaches and consultants etc, the only cricket-related activity SLC spends large amounts of money on is, traveling in business class and staying in 5-star hotels for SLC Executives and their relatives, girlfriends, film stars, and models when World Cup Tournaments are held abroad.
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S B lokuge Saturday, 04 November 2023 05:29 AM
What was the contribution to the team by this highly paid con sultant? Was he paid by the Indians as well for his master plan for this result.
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Fred Saturday, 04 November 2023 05:31 AM
Its a cricketing disaster .Take the remedial steps but leave it at that Sri Lanka has bigger things to worry about with India which seem obvious to anyone except to those living there. Even the Indian Finance Minister is there to address such concerns?
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A Silly Point Saturday, 04 November 2023 05:36 AM
SLC is complaining the Minister of Sports does not allow them to organize T10 Tournaments. SLC must focus on improving performance at Test and ODI levels. Playing T10 and T5 Tournaments will badly affect performance at Test and ODI levels.
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Jude Saturday, 04 November 2023 06:00 AM
You have to find a way to get rid of SLC office bearers!! If we can eliminate terrorists surely we can eliminate these guys!!! SLC doing the same thing what terrorism did to this country!!
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Citizen k Saturday, 04 November 2023 06:11 AM
Minister I am all the way behind you. Dissolve the cricket board let's start afresh.It is very painful to watch our cricketers. Definitely the head coach needs to be changed.
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Paramanathan Saturday, 04 November 2023 06:26 AM
It is a timely move by the minister. Srilanka Cricket's top officials should be arrested and kept in remand until the inquiry is over.
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Jayantha Saturday, 04 November 2023 06:36 AM
Always focus on the issue and never on the person.
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Nuwan Saturday, 04 November 2023 06:48 AM
ICC strong stand against political interference does not allow this. However, if SLC is representing Sri Lanka, and they are a disgrace to the country, people should have a right to do so. Only option is to go to the supreme court filing a fundamental rights petition.
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Dilip Rasiah Saturday, 04 November 2023 06:48 AM
Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, I salute you for taking such a bold decision, 'Sack them all' including the so called consultants, who spend all their time with the IPL, Our team has brought utmost shame to our country.
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VJ Saturday, 04 November 2023 07:11 AM
I don’t think our folks would be so furious if they had lost to another country other than India. Just accept the defeat and start rebuilding using the lessons learnt. The present Indian team seems to be in good form and prepared for the tournament. They have beaten six opponents before SL.
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A disgusted Cricket Fan Saturday, 04 November 2023 07:14 AM
Minister of Sports; Discuss this matter with the President. Get Parliament to pass legislation to terminate corrupt and useless SLC Executives. Do NOT worry about threats from ICC. You MUST be courageous and firm. If you cannot sack SLC Executives, resign, please.
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Nimal Saturday, 04 November 2023 07:22 AM
No one needs to ask them to resign. They should resign immediately if they have any sele respect.
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roobarbie Saturday, 04 November 2023 07:28 AM
If anyone needs to be sacked, sack the Minister. All rot emanates from there, the man at the top. Fire him first!
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Rajsoma Saturday, 04 November 2023 07:31 AM
This the second game (Asia Cup
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DN Saturday, 04 November 2023 01:45 PM
Why we are paying millions to the coaches to get this type of result. Sri Lanka sacrificed lot in last 3 to 4 years to build this young team. But finally we haven't got anything. Sacrifing today for future is useless. Need to allow to build it naturally.
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Hussain Saturday, 04 November 2023 08:09 AM
ICC is not International body, it is Indian Cricket Council they will not allow other countries team to come up. IPL killed international cricket, this world us very boring not much close games, SLC should stop sendind our players to IPL at least first five years of their career.
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wsw Saturday, 04 November 2023 08:36 AM
@Gert Jan, the Netherlands, let me educate you about the status quo of this matter. SLC is a law upon itself, completely out of control with their loathed style of governance, making merry with public funds at will, dragging down the image of Sri Lanka and it's cricketing brand, to the gutters. The sports minister is the only hope with authority, to disband this out of control group, and hopefully restore sanity and some credibility to our cricketing team. Time for him to act.
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wsw Saturday, 04 November 2023 08:37 AM
@roobarbie - and that should restore matters ?
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wsw Saturday, 04 November 2023 08:39 AM
Disband SLC immediately and follow up with criminal action against all these corrupt officials.
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Ally Saturday, 04 November 2023 09:03 AM
@VJ your assumption and most of the ppl screaming at the minister of sports is absolutely wrong! Period. The rot in SL cricket started way back in 2015 or slightly before. I would also to place that sanga, Mahela and other seniors cricketers too are responsible for this. Let me explain...... When the world cricket was focusing on improving there fundamentals and structures, our cricket board was busy fighting for elections and who is going to sit there. We always had a good school cricket structure but unfortunately after that the structure is not competent enough to develop matured players. Yes we have produced good players but not matured players players who can think!! Sanga and Mahela left and started their own business careers and only commented from outside when they were needed. Maybe they didn't want to get involved with the current and past set of SLC members. Arjuna keeps yapping in media but has no any means of making any difference. Sanath is just an opportunistic person.
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Ally Saturday, 04 November 2023 09:10 AM
Honestly not a single member of the SLC will resign on their own. There is ample money to be made in that organisation and based on their personal record, businessmen is always businessmen!!! With the recent T20 leagues and betting companies like Xbet and others coming into picture the lucrativeness of this game is even more and these vultures sitting in SLC will not go out even for a min. Current set of players are just mercineries only. They play if they get paid. Simple example wanindu. He is no more than a self proclaimed idiot who is only there to play IPL and other leagues. Only way to improve cricket in this country is to sincerely revamp SLC and bing in some ppl who loves the sports not money! Finding such soals in Sri Lanka is the biggest challenge!!! Also allow all communities a chance. The blessings of each community will definitely only help the aura of the team. Currently there is too much negative vibes since there is no any representations from other communities
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Waco Saturday, 04 November 2023 09:19 AM
All are political appointments. Entire cabinet must resigned for their failure to run the country. They ruined the country.
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BUSHEL Saturday, 04 November 2023 09:21 AM
Who the hell is saying other sports are doing well. Recently an athlete said how she was unable to buy her spikes and asked to quit but she came back with the gold medal. Foot ball association he played hell. Rugby nearly escaped from international participation. Minister trying to score a mark through the frustrated cry of the cricket fans. Minister should should go home
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ANURA NANAYAKKARA Saturday, 04 November 2023 09:22 AM
SLC IS DEFINITELY A BIG BIG JOKE. THESE FAT DOLLAR MUNCHING OFFICIALS SHOULD BE SACKED NOW. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH . THESE SLC JOKERS COMPLAIN TO ICC AND CREATE A DIFFERENT SCENE AGAINST COUNTRY'S SPORTS MINISTER. SACK THESE SLC DOLLAR MUNCHING OFFICIALS
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A Cricket Lover Saturday, 04 November 2023 09:43 AM
Dear Minister of Sports: No more talks; Just terminate SLC Executives. If you need the power to do so, get Parliament to pass the required legislation.
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mario Saturday, 04 November 2023 09:44 AM
After the retirement of Sanga, Jaya, Vaas, Murli, etc., there were very little talent replacing them. It is going to take a long, long time for Sri Lanka cricket to get their mojo back. Sacking the board won't make a difference.
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Anthony Saturday, 04 November 2023 12:26 PM
Minister should not ask. SLC should immediately take responsibility and resign. Happy that at least the Secretary resigned but maybe this is a drama.
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Cricket Fan Saturday, 04 November 2023 12:42 PM
SLC General Secretary has already tendered his resignation. The Chairman wants to hang on as it looks like that he wants to continue to rob.
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DOT Saturday, 04 November 2023 02:20 PM
They will sack you! Beware!
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Cheers Saturday, 04 November 2023 02:23 PM
Looks like the team will have to look for temporary asylum in India as the people have taken the law to their own hands
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Shihab Akill Daiyan Saturday, 04 November 2023 05:18 PM
I have been an ardent Sri Lanka Cricket Team enthusiast since 1993. I have followed them in every format. I haven's seen any worst performance of this kind in World Cups. !975, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019.... Though we lost many matches, we lost with a fight or respect. In 2023, what went wrong ? Shuffling! Shuffling! Shuffling! Injury concerns... I already had once commented to select Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Avishka Fernando, and Nuwan Pradeep/Vishwa Fernando/Asitha Fernando. But feeling very sad and upset.... Better look for a better team for T20 World Cup West Indies and USA , and get the team for the 2027 50 over World Cup....
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Anthony. R Saturday, 04 November 2023 07:54 PM
Yes,the SLC board and all official,and coaches should resign if they are honourable Gentlemen. We need men with a vision to uplift our Cricket not the ones who visualise to Fattening their wallet. Gentlemen like Anapunchihewa of 1996.is a visionary. He brought glory in cricket to our Nation.
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Nan Pam Sunday, 05 November 2023 02:07 AM
You also must resign minister! Everything happened under your guidance or approval! Do not tell others - you show your honesty first!
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