COLOMBO: The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the lifting of its ban on Sri Lanka Cricket on Sunday, following Colombo’s commitment to halt political meddling in the board’s management.
This decision comes amidst a controversy surrounding purported corruption within Sri Lanka’s cricket administration, the wealthiest sports entity in a nation grappling with a severe economic downturn. Sri Lanka’s exclusion from international competitions due to the ICC ban resulted in the forfeiture of hosting rights for the Under-19 World Cup.
“The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board has today lifted the suspension of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) with immediate effect,” the sport’s world governing body said in a statement.
In early November, the SLC faced suspension by the ICC due to allegations of insufficient autonomy in managing its affairs free from political influence. The ICC has since confirmed that the SLC is compliant with its membership obligations.
Sri Lanka’s newly appointed sports minister, Harin Fernando, has engaged in discussions with the ICC, vowing to eradicate political interference within the cricket board, as per official sources cited by news agency.
Previously, Fernando’s predecessor, Roshan Ranasinghe, dismissed the elected board and installed an interim committee to oversee Sri Lanka Cricket, defying objections from the ICC.
Ranasinghe leveled allegations of severe corruption against the office-bearers, which they deny and are contesting in court. Following intervention from President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ranasinghe was dismissed from his position.
