Report on Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup campaign forwarded to AG

The report of the five-member committee appointed to look into the issues pertaining to the Sri Lanka cricket team’s conduct during its tour in Australia for the T20 World Cup has been forwarded to the Attorney General for advice on legal action, the Sports Ministry said.

A five-member committee was appointed on December 02, in order to inquire into the incidents reported against Sri Lanka cricket players during their recent tour in Australia for the ICC T20 World Cup. 

The committee was appointed by Minister of Sports & Youth Affairs Roshan Ranasinghe pursuant to Article 39(3) of the Sports Law No. 25 of 1973.

Sri Lanka’s inglorious exit from the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia was accompanied by players partying at casinos, corruption and the influence of a fake prophet, the inquiry showed on Thursday (Jan. 12).

Batsman Danushka Gunathilaka was arrested hours after Sri Lanka’s tournament prematurely ended and has been charged with four counts of sexual assault on a woman in Sydney.

An independent panel which investigated Sri Lanka’s off-field behaviour during the World Cup in October-November revealed a litany of wrongdoing among players, officials and associates.

Sri Lanka, the Asian champions, were stunned by Namibia in their opening match and failed to progress to the knockout rounds after finishing fourth in their Super 12 group.

Bowler Chamika Karunaratne was involved in a brawl at a casino along with six team-mates when he objected to a fellow punter taking his picture, the panel’s 63-page report said.

Karunaratne was fined and given a suspended ban last year.

Meanwhile, the five-member panel recommended that casinos be off-limits for players on overseas tours and that wives be allowed in their hotel rooms — a practice permitted until 2016 — to ensure they do not stray out and violate team discipline.

A former high-performance manager, Jerome Jayaratne, had no role with the team but was reportedly sent to Melbourne for 10 days and paid $7,000. Jayaratne contributed nothing to the team on the trip and spent time with his sister instead, the panel reported.

Former skipper Mahela Jayawardene travelled as a “consultant coach” at the cricket board’s expense but opened a branch of his upmarket Ministry of Crab restaurant chain in Australia, the panel reported.

The investigators, led by retired Supreme Court Justice Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena, called for a comprehensive audit of the Sri Lanka Cricket board and urged the sports minister to seize board documents to ensure evidence was not destroyed.

A man claiming to be a prophet had established considerable influence over some team members and key officials, the panel said, calling for a wider investigation.

Under his influence the bowler Karunaratne left an oil lamp burning in his room, despite hotel warnings of a fire hazard, it added.

There was no immediate comment from Sri Lanka Cricket, but Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe had said he will study the report and act on it to ensure team discipline and stamp out corruption.

The panel had also called for better physical fitness among national players.

-With Agencies Inputs