The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board has suspended the national cricket governing body, citing extensive government interference in its administration.
The sanction came in the backdrop of Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe’s allegations about the misconduct of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials.
However, ESPNcricinfo reported that “it is understood that SLC had asked the ICC board to take this extreme step,” although the international cricket body’s decision appears to have come out of the blue.
In a statement on Friday (Nov.10), the ICC said the SLC had breached its obligations as a member, in particular the requirement to manage its affairs autonomously and without government interference. The ICC said the conditions of the suspension would be decided by its Board in due course.
The ICC Board is set to meet on November 21, after which the future course of action is expected to be clearer. Sri Lanka is scheduled to host the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup across January and February 2024.
The Sri Lanka men’s team has had a forgettable time at the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, winning only 2 out of 9 matches and finishing with 4 points. They sit at No.8 in the points table with 3 more matches to be played in the league phase.
