Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has issued a clarification about composition of the composition of the national squad that took part in the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup held in India.

In its statement, the island’s cricket governing body said Sports Ministry did not approve the names of Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera, despite the SLC’s intention to send the duo the World Cup.

The SLC also mentioned that it had plans to get Hasaranga and Chameera to play at some point in the tournament after they recover from injuries, but to no avail, as the Sports Ministry did not give its nod to send the two players without medical clearance.

“Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to reiterate that Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera were included in the 15-member squad selected by the Sri Lanka Cricket Selectors to take part in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.”

The national selection committee had selected the initial squad, which both Hasaranga and Chameera were part of, during a selection meeting held on September 05 at the SLC headquarters, the statement read further.

“This was done despite the fact that both players were still recovering from injuries.”

Following the selection meeting, on the same day, SLC said it sent the squad seeking approval of the National Sports Selection Committee, which comes under the Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs.

According to the cricket body, the Sports Ministry, in response, had sent a letter to SLC on September 26, seeking medical clearance to approve the inclusion of Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera and Dilshan Madushanka.

“Finally, Sri Lanka Cricket, despite its intention to send Hasaranga and Chameera to the World Cup with the plan to play them at some point in the tournament after the duo recover from injuries, did not succeed, as the Sports Ministry did not approve the sending of the two players without medical clearance.”

(Letter sent to National Sports Selection Committee by SLC on September 5, 2023):

(Letter sent by Sports Ministry, seeking medical clearance for Hasaranga and Chameera):

In a separate statement, the SLC accused the Sports Ministry of misleading the public by providing confusing details as to how it spent the grant of Rs. 289 million provided by cricket governing body to the National Sports Fund.

In a statement published on Friday (Nov.24), SLC emphasized that a comparison between a document it has obtained from the Sports Ministry under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and the media release issued by the ministry informing how the funds were spent, shows ‘glaring differences.’

In the Sports Ministry’s media release on November 13, it has provided details of 47 items on how the SLC’s grant of Rs. 289 million had been spent, the statement read further.

“However, a document obtained by the SLC on November 23 under the Right to Information Act shows the ministry has spent money on 67 activities instead of the 47 mentioned in the media release.”

Meanwhile, an assessment between the Sports Ministry’s media release and the document received by the SLC shows disparities in the figures of 33 items, the cricket body elaborated.

On that account, SLC has ‘earnestly’ requested the Sports Ministry to provide clarity on these differences, as transparency and accountability in such spending are vital ingredients of good governance.

(Letter sent by SLC to Sports Ministry seeking explanation for the disparity):