Cricket crisis Prez asks Cabinet subcommittee to initiate dialogue with ICC

• Concerns raised in P’ment whether SL will lose division 1 cricket 

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.