Following a disappointing World Cup 2023 campaign that ended with only 2 wins out of 9 matches, Sri Lanka Cricket faced additional setbacks as the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended the Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) on Friday. The ICC justified this drastic measure, stating that it was a response to government interference in the administration of cricket in Sri Lanka. Consequently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have also faced heat as netizens express a variety of reactions to this development.
The suspension’s timing of SLC is very unfortunate, considering that there are only seven months remaining until the ICC T20 World Cup in 2024.
BCCI, PCB face heat
The critics of the BCCI and PCB has alleged the interference of government in the workings of the respective boards. Jay Shah and Rajeev Shukla were the main faces to catch strays in the prestigious Indian board.
Prior to Sri Lanka’s final league match against England, Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe dismissed the entire national cricket board due to the men’s team’s disappointing performance. However, the country’s top court imposed a 14-day stay on the decision, temporarily preserving Shammi Silva as the chair of Sri Lanka Cricket.
The turmoil in Sri Lankan cricket, fueled by political disputes affecting the board’s daily operations, has contributed to the team’s struggles.
After their poor performance in the 2023 World Cup, the team needs to make significant decisions, including appointing a new captain and determining the future of the current head coach, Chris Silverwood. However, before addressing team matters, the Sri Lankan cricket board itself requires a complete fix up.
Sri Lanka Cricket becomes the second Full Member of the ICC to face suspension within the last four years, following Zimbabwe, which faced suspension in 2019 for similar reasons. In contrast to Zimbabwe, the ICC is taking a more slow approach with Sri Lanka and has disclosed the specific conditions of the suspension. The details are expected to be revealed in the near future.
