Top Spin By Suni

Nov.11th 2023 

It has finally  happened and the axe has fallen on Sri Lanka Cricket confirming everyone’s fears including the President’s that the ICC will suspend Sri Lanka’s membership.

What an ignominious shame and what an insult to a country renowned for her cricketing prowess and  flair that  goes back decades and has a World Cup win in two formats and what a sad day it is for Sri Lanka Cricket regardless of the theoy that this was induced by some of the Cricket Administers on request which by itself is implausible given the facts leading upto the suspension.

“ ICC suspends Sri Lanka Cricket with immediate effect“ headlined the decision of The International Cricket Council Board which has suspended Sri Lanka Cricket’s membership of the ICC with immediate effect and splashed around the globe.

The internal affairs of Sri Lanka Cricket undoubtedly has been closely watched by the ICC and it  comes as no surprise that the axe has fallen as recent events within the SLC Administration were definitely questionable as has been in the recent past with corruption and misappropriation rife and integrity lacking in decisions made by the top administrators where it appeared to be“ a source of income and getting rich“ for some who appear to have robbed the coffers blind as had been in other areas of Sri Lanka`s Administration in recent times much to the chagrin of the Nation so what else is new! To add to this there has been Government interference, political cronyism and jingoism at an unprecedented level;which in all probabilities has been the last straw !! and who pays for it but the cricket loving Sri Lankan public undeservedly and the pride of a Nation that once held her head high in what was achieved as a foremost cricketing nation with an impressive cricketing past..

In a statement released on Friday night, the ICC  has said that Sri Lanka Cricket had breached its obligations as a member, in particular the requirement to manage its affairs autonomously and without government interference.which really is putting it mildly as far worse is purported to have taken place behind closed doors which has also sadly led to the  demise of once glorious Sri Lanka Cricket per se having to bear international ridicule and insults from many quarters especially at the ongoing World Cup for which the administrators of Sri Lanka Cricket are truly and shamefully to blame.

The ICC Board which met Friday has determined that Sri Lanka Cricket is in serious breach of its obligations as a Member, in particular, the requirement to manage its affairs autonomously and ensure that there is no government interference in the governance, regulation and / or administration of cricket in Sri Lanka.

In its statement, the ICC said the conditions of the suspension will be decided by the ICC Board in due course.The ICC Board is set to meet on November 21, after which the future course of action is expected to be ratified and clarified.

Sri Lanka is scheduled to host the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup across January and February 2024. This has now been obviously put in abject jeopardy unless some favorable resolution is made by the ICC but appears unlikely.

The Sri Lanka  team have had little to be proud of at the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, winning just two of their nine matches and finishing with four points. They sit at No.8 in the points table with three more matches to be played in the league phase.

Whatever the outcome, this appears to be a body blow Sri Lanka Cricket will take a long time to recover from unless it convinces the ICC to revoke the suspension through viable means and prompt remedial action and all good wishes towards this.