Sri Lanka sports minister Harin Fernando has revoked the sacking of Sri Lanka Cricket in an attempt to get ICC’s suspension lifted.
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Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) had been suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) due to government interference after the Sri Lankan parliament’s decision to sack the SLC was reversed by a court.
As a result of the suspension, the ICC took away the hosting rights of the 2024 men’s Under-19 World Cup from them. Originally supposed to take place in Sri Lanka early next year, it was shifted to South Africa.
Harin Fernando, the new sports minister in the Sri Lankan government, has revoked the sacking of the national cricket board (SLC), hoping that it can lead to a lifting of ICC’s suspension on SLC.
“I signed a gazette to revoke the decision appointing an interim committee for Sri Lanka Cricket, aiming to lift our ICC suspension,” Fernando wrote on X (Twitter).
Former Sri Lanka sports minister Roshan Ranasinghe had called for a resignation of the board members after raising allegations of corruption against them following Sri Lanka’s dismal outing in the 2023 men’s ODI World Cup.
The entire board was then sacked and was replaced by an interim committee headed by Arjuna Ranatunga, the only 50-over ODI World Cup winning captain from Sri Lanka. However, following a stay order from a court, the original board was restored. Ranasinghe himself was eventually sacked by the Sri Lankan president.
Amidst all this, ICC suspended Sri Lanka Cricket for government interference.
Sri Lanka had a poor World Cup campaign, managing to win only two out of their nine games and failing to finish in the top eight to qualify for the Champions Trophy.
Their next international assignment is a white-ball series against Zimbabwe at home in January 2024.
