Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC) witnessed a major shake-up today, with chief Shammi Silva and the executive committee members stepping down and the government deciding to take over the administration of the country's cricket board.
Following President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s request for resignation, Silva convened a key meeting of the governing body that lasted nearly three hours, following which they sent their resignation letters to Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage.
No reasons for resignations were disclosed. Amid mounting allegations of financial irregularities and mismanagement, Silva, who was under pressure to quit from his post at SLC, had met Dissanayake last week.
Gamage, in a release, said the resignations of the existing set of office-bearers have been accepted. "Accordingly under the powers vested in him by sections 31 and 34 of the sports law no 25 of 1973, all administrative functions of Sri Lanka Cricket will be temporarily brought under the ministry of youth affairs and sports."
The release added that an interim committee will be appointed soon to address the current issues in Lankan cricket and to carry out structural reforms.
The proverbial sword was hanging over Silva’s neck since early March, over the Sri Lanka national team's poor performances on the international stage and also over complaints received from players.
Silva had been at helm in SLC for seven years, having first won in 2019 by majority votes of member clubs. He was re-elected uncontested in 2021, 2023 and 2025.
He also served as the President of the Asian Cricket Council, succeeding Jay Shah in 2025.
Sources told PTI that the government has already decided on the names to take over the affairs of the SLC in the interim.
Interestingly, when Silva was sacked in December 2023, the ICC suspended Sri Lanka's membership for two months, citing political interference in local governing body administrations is against ICC governing rules. Silva, who successfully contested his sacking, was reinstated by the court. It remains to be seen if the ICC will take a similiar action again.
According to AFP, former investment banker and opposition politician Eran Wickramaratne will likely be named new head of the SLC.
