Arjuna Ranatunga Appointed Chairman of New Interim Board for Sri Lanka Cricket
Arjuna Ranatunga, the celebrated skipper who led Sri Lanka to victory in the 1996 Cricket World Cup, has been appointed as the chairman of a new interim board for Sri Lanka Cricket.
The decision comes after an extended period of turmoil and allegations of widespread corruption within the sport’s governing body in Sri Lanka.
The newly formed interim committee, consisting of seven members, including a retired supreme court judge and a former board president, has been assembled under the leadership of Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe.
The primary objective of this committee is to address the deep-seated issues within Sri Lanka Cricket and introduce a fresh approach to its management.
The move to create an interim board was triggered by a series of problems within the organization. One such incident was the devastating defeat of the Sri Lankan cricket team in the recent World Cup match against India. Sri Lanka faced a heavy 302-run loss, leading to public outcry and widespread criticism.
Minister Ranasinghe, who had been at odds with the existing cricket board for months, publicly called for the resignation of the entire board, stating that their poor performance and allegations of corruption left them with no moral or ethical standing.
Furthermore, Minister Ranasinghe reached out to the International Cricket Council (ICC), the global governing body for cricket, seeking support and understanding regarding the changes being made within Sri Lanka Cricket.
He highlighted concerns related to player discipline, allegations of corruption at the management level, financial misconduct, and accusations of match-fixing.
The ICC has strict regulations against political interference in the sport, and a prior move by Minister Ranasinghe to establish a three-member panel to investigate corruption allegations within the cricket board was withdrawn following ICC concerns.
The creation of the new interim board seeks to address these issues, ensure integrity within Sri Lankan cricket, and restore the nation’s reputation in international cricket.
Sri Lanka has encountered substantial challenges in the realm of international cricket, and the appointment of Arjuna Ranatunga as chairman of the interim board is expected to steer the sport back on course and protect it from corruption and misconduct.
It’s worth noting that Sri Lanka hasn’t clinched a Cricket World Cup title since its triumph in 1996, and Ranasinghe attributes the “deterioration” in standards to the management of the cricket board.
Another cabinet minister, Prasanna Ranatunga, who is also the brother of the newly appointed interim board chairman, expressed similar sentiments.
He described the 1996 victory as a turning point when money began to pour into Sri Lanka Cricket, consequently attracting those with intentions to exploit the system.
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