Following a humiliating defeat against India in the 2023 World Cup, Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe made a sweeping decision on Monday, sacking every member of the Sri Lanka Cricket board. After a humiliating 302-run defeat in Mumbai on November 2, public anger and calls for the resignation of the Shammi Silva-led SLC administration reached a breaking point. In response to these demands, numerous demonstrations were staged outside the SLC, asking the Silva administration to resign.
The tension became so high that riot police were sent in to protect the building. Ranasinghe acted quickly, appointing an interim seven-member committee led by former World Cup captain Arjuna Ranatunga. The formation of this committee was made possible by Sports Law No. 25 of 1973. Ranasinghe has been in a contentious battle with Sri Lanka Cricket, the island’s wealthiest sports organization, for months amid allegations of rampant corruption.
“Sri Lanka Cricket has been besieged with complaints of player disciplinary issues, management corruption, financial misconduct and match-fixing allegations,” Ranasinghe stated in the letters, released to Sri Lankan media. “I would like to emphasise that interim measures will only be taken to establish good governance principles.”
Sri Lanka currently stands seventh in the rankings, with four points garnered from seven games. Their record consists of two wins and five losses.