Resign now, Sports Minister tells Sri Lanka Cricket

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.